#[ to be raised by Michigan himself ]

[theemporium]

[4.9k] things start to feel real as luke’s rookie season in the nhl officially begins. but maybe it’s not as bad as he thought. and maybe those good vibes will follow him off the ice too. (smut)

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“You look like shit.”

“I feel like shit.”

Your smile widened as you pulled the door open further, letting the boy shuffle inside with a small wince at the bright sun shining through your windows. The hood of his jumper was thrown over his head, his curls a mess and his eyes hidden behind a pair of sunglasses he stole from Jack’s room after he woke up. 

It wasn’t the best state for you to see him but, truthfully, that was not his biggest concern at the moment. 

A few months away from college and he almost forgot what a bad influence his friends could be when it came to drinking. There was a vague memory somewhere around the fifth round of shots where Luke was pretty sure Nico tried to get them to drink some water, but it was pointless when Ethan found another bottle of tequila and insisted they had to drink it before it went to waste.

And, to Luke’s drunken mind, that sounded like the most logical solution. 

He was honestly surprised the three of them had managed to wake up early enough to catch the plane back to Michigan. They had woken him up to say goodbye, muttering something about afternoon practice and other things that Luke vaguely remembered before he fell back asleep for a few hours. 

Luke was pretty sure he was still drunk when he woke up a second time to the sound of Jack blasting music in the kitchen. 

Somewhere between his annoying brother and the lingering anxiety that followed with the hangover as result of the night before, Luke found himself at a local bakery to grab some goods before he stopped over at your place, not even thinking to message you beforehand (if he even knew where his phone was). 

“But you don’t smell shit so that’s a plus,” you noted as you shut the door behind him before taking pity on his state, dragging the curtains shut again whilst Luke muttered his thanks under his breath.

“I think I bought half the bakery,” Luke admitted with a sheepish expression as he extended the bag towards you. “I asked for every cherry based thing they owned, which surprisingly isn’t much.” He paused for a moment. “Maybe I should have tried another bakery.”

You laughed, brows raised in question. “I’m surprised you can stomach anything right now.”

“Oh, I can’t,” Luke said, his nose scrunching up in disgust like the idea made him feel nauseous. It did, if he was being honest. It was bad enough he almost threw up after Jack made him chug some water. “These were…well, they were the start of an apology.”

You tilted your head to the side.

“For…abandoning you in my room after everything,” he continued, his cheeks heating up. Because apparently no matter how much he drank the night before, he remembered well enough that he was a bit of a dick with how he ran off with his friends. “It was a shitty move. And it was shitty for me to make you hide under the bed.”

“That did throw me off,” you admitted, though there was a slight teasing tilt to your voice. “Although, your bed was surprisingly clean under there. No plates growing mould or other questionable diseases.”

Luke scoffed a little. “I’m not a slob.”

You shot him a look.

“I’m not that much of a slob,” Luke corrected, grumbling under his breath before he let out a sigh. “You know, you are making this apology a lot harder than I imagined it being.”

“Probably doesn’t help that you’re hungover as fuck,” you teased, but you took the baked good from him. You peaked inside, noting just how much he had actually bought and something warm twisted in your stomach. “You really didn’t have to. It wasn’t that big of a deal, Luke.”

“But it was to me,” he murmured, a crease forming between his eyebrows. “I…I shouldn’t have done that. Like, don’t get me wrong, I love my friends. And I know they wouldn’t judge me but…”

“Hey,” you stepped forward, reaching out to gently touch him. “It’s fine, I promise. This was a part you hid from them for so long and it freaked you out. I get it.”

“I’m not embarrassed by you,” he blurted out, because apparently he has no filter or control over the words leaving his mouth. “Just in case you thought that. Because I’m not. The boys would probably love you but like—”

“You just don’t want them asking questions,” you finished for him, watching as the boy shyly nodded his head. “You don’t have to explain yourself but thank you, anyways. And thank you for the pastries.” 

“Right,” he cleared his throat, nodding a little. “Well, I–”

“Go lay down,” you said, a smile growing on your face when his shoulders slumped in relief. “I wasn’t lying when I said you looked like shit. The fact you are even awake before noon is shocking, to be honest.”

“Thank you,” he sighed in relief as he made his way towards your couch, his feet shuffling against the floor. “If I had to go back and listen to Jack blast his obnoxious playlists, I would have died.”

You snorted. “Aw, baby is facing his first, proper hangover outside of cheap college vodka.”

He pulled his sunglasses off to glare at you. “Ha. Ha. Ha.” 

“Lie down,” you prompted as you gently pushed him a step forward. “We can nap on the couch. I’ll even show you the trick to hangovers.”

He raised his brows. “It’s not gonna be some weird shit like drinking raw egg yolks, is it?” 

“I was going to offer head scratches but if you want raw eggs—”

“No!”

You grinned. “That’s what I thought.” 

…

The thing about playing with the team during playoffs was that, as amazing as it was, they did get knocked out and the whole thing felt fairly short-lived.

Don’t get him wrong, it was still a surreal experience. Hockey had been a constant in his life, something that always felt familiar and welcoming no matter where he was. It had felt as recognisable and comforting to him as his family was. 

But to know he had made it? To know he was skating and playing and wearing the jersey of an NHL team? 

It brought a new thrill to hockey he had never expected, but basked in, nonetheless. It added an extra layer, an extra kick that college hockey could never compete with. It made him feel like everything was worth it, that everything worked out and his dreams aligned with the stars and—fuck, he was making his debut in the National Hockey League. 

But as fast as it came, it went. 

And then summer happened. 

And he was distracted by long nights in Michigan summer heat and cool beers and boat rides that made him feel like nothing else existed beyond the lakehouse. It felt like he was just a normal guy, spending the summer break with his brothers and his friends and pretending like life was always this easy. 

It was his last thread to normalcy before his life fully changed. 

And then he was moving to Jersey, his belongings packed into boxes and cases as he moved in with Jack for the first time since his brother was drafted. He spent days being paraded around his new city, trying to feel familiar in the unfamiliar apartment, trying to bond with a team that had been together long before his arrival. 

It was confusing and exciting and baffling and scary. Every emotion a person could experience, Luke had felt tenfold since he had started preseason training. He felt like he was stumbling through a life that wasn’t his, trying to catch up and get a hold of himself. 

Then, in a blink of an eye, he was about to step out for his first official game of his rookie year in the NHL. 

And, for some stupid reason, he was far more nervous than he had been for the playoff games. 

There wasn’t a pressure on him during the playoffs, not really. People were letting mistakes slide, willing to look over things because it was his first time stepping foot onto the ice for an NHL team. He knew he technically had that luxury now too, that he was a rookie and he was allowed to use this year to find his footing.

But it was hard to remember he was a rookie when everyone and everything kept reminding him he was the third Hughes brother. He wasn’t just a normal rookie or young kid starting out their career in the big leagues. He was the third brother to try and live up to an insane standard his brothers have set, he had to prove he wasn’t a bust who only got here because of his name. 

Luke felt more than ever that he had to prove he belonged, that he deserved to have his spot and his place in the team. That he was more than just his surname and the connotations it brought.

He had to prove—

cherry🍒: break a leg or whatever they say in hockey

cherry🍒: actually wait

cherry🍒: don’t break a leg, that would be pretty shit for you

cherry🍒: feel like it would be pretty useful to skate with two unbroken legs

cherry🍒: what i am trying to say is good luck! 

And, in a silly way, he knew it was stupid. He shouldn’t need to hear someone else say something, to try and reassure him. Jack had tried a few times to prompt the conversation as game day approached. A few of the other guys had tried too. Hell, even Quinn had called him to try and give him a pep talk.

But, in the nicest way he could put it, it felt meaningless when it came from people he felt like needed to say it. 

They needed to believe in him. 

You didn’t. 

Fuck, you didn’t even know a single thing about the sport. You didn’t understand the significance of his last name in the sport. You didn’t understand just how intense the next year of his life was about to be. You didn’t understand a single thing that the other people in his life had been trying to reassure him over. 

And, for some reason that was beyond Luke’s own understanding, that was what he needed.

He needed that unwavering, unbreakable faith from someone who didn’t have to support him. You weren’t his family. You weren’t his teammate. You weren’t a fan. You had no reason to lie to him, to sugarcoat your words and fluff away his worries. You had no reason to believe in him other than the fact you just did. 

And it was what he needed.

It was what he needed minutes before the game was due to start, the clock ticking to puck drop and his eyes lingering on your messages before he had to get up and head out to the ice.

He needed you. 

…

They won the first game of the season. 

And then, because the person in the league who was organising the game schedule decided they wanted to try and test them this early on, they played their second game the next night. 

And they won that one too.

It was surreal, to be fucking frank. It was a kind of buzz that Luke had never experienced before, not in hockey at least. 

Winning was always great, regardless of what age or what league you were playing in. Truthfully, he didn’t think anything would beat the thrill college hockey gave him. His attachment to the boys on his team, the adrenaline of the win pumping through him as he basked in the cheering crowd. 

He thought that was his peak. He thought that was the best it would ever get. 

And then he joined the NHL. 

There was something about wearing the jersey, about knowing that they had thousands of fans watching the game. There was something about skating straight towards his big brother and feeling Jack scream in his ear as they were crowded by the other boys. There was something about knowing this had been his dream since he was a kid, to know he was now living it out. 

It was the perfect way to kick off their season—to kick off his rookie season—and Luke genuinely didn’t think he could sit down for longer than two seconds if someone asked him to. His body was bone-tired, he needed decent rest because professional hockey was no joke and his body was still not used to the jump from college hockey.

But he was buzzing. He was practically vibrating with how excited he was. He felt like he could do anything at that moment.

The locker room was buzzing with talks about how to celebrate. Most of them were tired—happy but fucking tired. The younger group wanted to head out to a bar, the older ones wanted to try to be responsible for the sake of practice in the morning. Nico was somewhere in the middle, trying to be diplomatic and find a solution that worked for everyone.

But honestly, Luke didn’t want to stand in a bar where he would either have to sneak drinks or stay sober. And he didn’t particularly want to get drunk in the first place. And he didn’t want to just head home with Jack when his body felt like it could start bouncing off the walls. 

He had this ever present, insistent buzz itching beneath his skin and he had a million and one ideas on how to scratch it. 

Truthfully, everything was a blur. He didn’t remember the post-game interviews or whatever chirps were being thrown his way in the locker room. He didn’t remember what fuck-ass excuse he gave Jack as he clambered into the backseat of an Uber. He didn’t even remember ordering the Uber in the first place. 

He just knew it led him to your doorstep, knocking on your door somewhere past eleven when he hadn’t even stopped to think if you’d be awake or not. He just knew he wanted to see you. 

It was almost a shock when the door swung open a couple of seconds after he knocked. 

“Shouldn’t you be out celebrating with your team, winner?” You teased, leaning against the door as you spoke. Though, you didn’t look all that bothered with Luke showing up this late to your place unannounced. 

But his brain was still moving a million miles an hour and he knew—somewhere amongst the chaos of his thoughts—that he should have said hello, or apologised for randomly showing up, or for banging on your door when you could have been asleep.

But the only thing he managed to blurt out was, “I want to make you come.” 

You blinked. And again. And then one more time. 

And he thought his racing heart was going to explode in his chest before you pulled the door open wider, an invitation for him to step inside as you muttered something about your nosy neighbours overhearing the whole conversation and eavesdropping. 

Luke stood aimlessly in your entrance hallway, watching as you spun to quickly close the door behind him before turning on your heel to face him. You leaned back against the door, making his chest tighten in some kind of way at the way you smiled at him.

“Feeling confident after your big win, huh?” You grinned, pulling the sleeves of your hoodie over your hands, and he couldn’t help but find the act oddly endearing. “Does this mean you’re, like, first place or something?”

Luke didn’t bother fighting the smile growing on his face. “Yeah, we basically won the whole thing. Everyone has just forfeited from the championship.” 

“You know, you joke but if it wasn’t for the fact I can see you trying not to laugh at me, I would have believed you,” you said to him before pushing off the door, taking a few steps closer to him. “You never answered my question though. Did the win make you feel more confident?” 

“Maybe,” he swallowed, his fingers itching to just reach out for you the second you were at arm’s length from him. “It’s just…you always do stuff for me. I wanna do stuff for you too. But like, it’s okay if you don’t want—”

“Don’t do that,” you interrupted.

He frowned a little.

“Don’t second guess your own confidence,” you corrected yourself as you stopped just a step or two away from him. “Be sure of yourself. It’s hot.”

“Mhm,” Luke nodded, though it didn’t sound all that self-assured. 

“Remember, just like hockey. You practice and then you play. We’ve been doing the exact same.” And weirdly enough, your words were comforting. “Have some faith in yourself, Luke.” 

“Right. Just like hockey,” he murmured, glancing at the small distance between the two of you.

“Just like hockey,” you repeated with a small nod.

And, just like hockey, Luke let himself act before he over thought his actions too much. Hockey was about acting fast and thinking later. It was about acting on your instincts and trusting your teammate would be on the other side of the puck. It was about letting every move, every hit, every shot to be nothing but one hundred percent. It was about taking the chance before it was gone.

Luke took a step forward, closing the distance between you two as his hands reached to cup your face before he kissed you. You let out a noise of surprise that sounded from the back of your throat before you sunk into it, letting your hands rest against his stomach as he took control.

It was intoxicating, in a way you had never experienced with Luke before. Most of the time, he was happy to let you take control. He got this cute but hopeless look on his face when he didn’t know where to put his hands. He was happy to just sit back and let you tell him exactly just how you wanted to be touched, kissed, held. 

But this was different. It was overwhelming. It was suffocating in the best way possible. Feeling his body tower over you, feeling his large palms holding you just where he wanted you as his tongue slid into your mouth. Feeling the way Luke acted when he didn’t think, when he didn’t get in his own head, when he just let his body act the way it wanted to. 

You barely had a chance to catch your breath before his hands dropped from your face, fingers wrapping around your thighs with a stuttered ‘jump’ whispered against your lips before he lifted you with the ease only a professional athlete could achieve.

He barely pulled away as he walked deeper into your apartment, the layout practically memorised in his head considering the fact he spent just as much time here as he did in his own apartment. His arms were locked on you, not letting you slip a bit as he wandered into your bedroom, laying you down on the bed with a gentleness that made your stomach dip. 

“Show off,” you murmured as you glanced up at him, lip tucked between your teeth as your fingers brushed against the hem of his shirt.

He lazily grinned down at you. “I can be impressive sometimes.” 

“Yeah?” Your lips twitched upwards as you shuffled back until you were sat further up the bed. You reached for the hem of your hoodie, pulling it over your head and tossing the clothing off to the side. “Come show me how impressive you can be, Hughes.” 

He swallowed, eyes darting over your figure before he slowly began making his way onto the bed. “You’re sure?” 

“You were the one who came knocking on my door, saying you wanted to make me come,” you teased. 

“Yeah but,” Luke paused for a second as his gaze caught yours. “I don’t want you to feel like you have to do it because I want to.” He flashed you an awkward but sweet smile. “Consent is sexy, you know?” 

You snorted, but you grinned back at him. “You have my consent to make me come, Luke.”

“Uh,” he cleared his throat. “I just…I want you to enjoy it but I don’t…”

“Breathe,” you murmured in a softer voice, reaching up to gently squeeze his cheeks to catch his attention. “I’m still here, you’re not doing this alone. Just like hockey, remember? Think of me as your teammate.”

His face instantly scrunched up. “I really don’t want to be thinking about any of my teammates right now.”

You snorted, despite yourself. 

“Yeah, okay, maybe not my finest choice of words. What I’m trying to say is that you’re not doing this alone. Sex is a ‘two way street’, ‘it takes two to tango’ kinda thing, Luke,” you spoke as you reached down to guide his hands to the waistband of your leggings. “We’re doing this together.” 

“Together,” he murmured with a nod.

“Just like hockey,” you said to him again, seeing a hint of his earlier confidence shine in his eyes as his fingers hooked the waistband of your leggings before pulling them down your legs. 

He tugged them over your feet before throwing them off to the side, where your hoodie still laid. He didn’t even hesitate before he ripped his own shirt off over his head, in some weird mixed statement so you weren’t the only one who was half-naked—and because he felt his whole body running far warmer than he thought was normal. 

“Foreplay is important. It’s like warm-ups, it’s necessary and preferred and makes the game easier, as well as more enjoyable,” you said, your voice a little lower than before as you gently guided one of his hands from your waist downwards. “It makes her feel good. It makes you feel good. It’s sexy.” 

“Sexy,” he noted with a nod, though his eyes were transfixed on you. 

Luke gulped a little as his fingers rested along the elastic waistband of your panties. His heart was racing in his chest and blood was roaring in his ears and it was a little hard to focus on the words you were saying when his dick was twitching in his sweatpants.

“Just gotta know where to touch her,” you whispered, lip tucked between your teeth as your fingers lightly skimmed over your clothed cunt. You choked out a gasp as you pressed a slow, deliberate circle over your clit. 

He didn’t think even a meteor crashing into your bedroom could make him tear his eyes away from you right now.

“Try.”

Luke’s brows raised a little as you stared at him expectantly. 

“C’mon, winner,” your lips twitched upwards. “Just like hockey.”

Just like hockey.

Luke slowly ran his hand over your waist, feeling the cotton fabric of your panties under his touch. He kept his eyes locked on your cunt, trying to ignore the way his hand was shaking as he ran his fingers along the fabric. 

A soft sigh left your lips and his eyes snapped up to look at your face, to watch your expressions closely to see what you reacted to. His thumb pressed down experimentally and your nose twitched a little.

“A little higher.”

He listened. 

“Firm but gentle.”

He listened.

“Fuck, just like that, Luke.” 

He listened.

“A little faster.” 

Luke listened. 

He listened as you guided him. He listened until there was a small wet spot on the front of your panties. He listened until you were panting and telling him to pull them down your legs. He listened as he gently glided his fingers between your folds, watching with dark eyes as his fingers glinted with your release. 

“I get it,” he muttered out at some point, his thumb pressing down on your swollen clit as your hips bucked up against his touch. “The noises. Why you like them.” He gulped a little as his eyes glanced up at you. “You sound pretty when you’re moaning, Cherry.”

“Shit,” your eyes fluttered shut as you reached down to grip his wrist. “Just…fuck, I need to feel you inside me.”

His cheeks burned hot. 

“Just,” you panted, chewing down on your bottom lip until it was red and a little swollen. “Slow, okay?”

He gulped. “You sure?” 

You huffed out a laugh. “You wanna make me come?”

He nodded.

“Then yeah, I’m sure,” you murmured, brows furrowed together as you felt him glide his fingers through your folds until they were completely covered. 

And, if Luke was being so completely honest, he could have come in his pants from the sight alone. It was like at the last possible moment, his brain remembered to look up as he slowly slide one finger inside you and, fuck, he was glad he did.

He felt entranced. He felt mesmerised. He felt like he was stuck in some sort of hypnosis and he couldn’t look away. 

He wanted to burn this moment in his memory so he could never, never forget it. He wanted to memorise the way your eyes fluttered shut. He wanted to memorise the way you felt squeezing around him, like you didn’t want him to ever leave. He wanted to memorise the way your lips parted with a silent scream as he slid another finger inside you, as he curled his fingers, as you bucked your hips. 

He wanted to remember every single fucking moment until the day he died.

“A little faster,” you breathed out, your head thrown back on your pillow as he followed your instructions. “Shit, yes. Like that. Fuck.”

“Good?” Luke murmured, his whole body feeling like it was on fire and his dick straining against his boxers but, fuck, he couldn’t care less when his attention was on you.

“Good,” you confirmed with a nod as one hand gripped the sheets, the other reaching down to give your clit some attention. “So good, Luke.” 

Something in his stomach flipped at your words. 

If someone asked Luke Hughes how the last forty-eight hours of his life had been, he would tell them it had been fucking amazing. 

And if they asked him what the best moment was, he should probably answer that he has too many to choose from. That maybe it was the fact he officially started his rookie year in the National Hockey League. That maybe it was the fact he won not one, but two NHL games. That maybe it was the fact they won them one after the other. That maybe it was the fact he did all of the above whilst sharing the ice with his big brother.

But, in all fucking honesty, Luke would have chosen this moment. 

He would have chosen the sight of you writhing and squirming beneath him. He would have chosen the sight of you panting and moaning and begging. He would have chosen the sight of you coming on his fingers, your back arching off the bed and his name a whimper on your lips. He would have chosen the sleepy smile you gave him as your body twitched as he pulled his fingers out, already missing the feeling of you clenched around him. He would have chosen the look of pure lust and desire in your eyes as you watched him slide his fingers in his mouth, his body moving before his brain caught up as he sucked the taste of you off his fingers. 

He would have chosen this moment. And maybe that realisation would be a lot more alarming and head-spinning in a couple of hours, but right now it was a passing thought before he slumped down on the bed next to you.

“Luke?” 

“Hm?” 

“You’re a good student,” you murmured, feeling a smile on your lips as he let out a small huff of laughter. “A little more practice and I think you could have a good business going for you if the hockey thing doesn’t work out.”

He shook his head. “I think my skating skills are still better than my sex skills, but the confidence you have in me is appreciated.”

“Hm, true,” you said as you nudged his arm, lifting it up before you curled into his side. Luke didn’t say anything but wrap his arm around you to pull you closer. “You do skate very fast.” 

“Those two videos really told you everything you needed to know, huh?” He teased, his words light-hearted and joking and warm. 

“No, the games you just played told me that,” you corrected.

Luke froze, his mind replaying the words in his head like he wasn’t sure he heard you right the first time. “You watched my games?”

“Yeah,” you answered like it was obvious. “You said they were the start of the important ones, the ones that counted. I mean, I didn’t understand half of it and I spent a significant amount confused but,” you paused to shrug. “I wanted to support you.”

His chest tightened and it was a little harder to breathe, but he didn’t really want to let you go just yet.

“You didn’t have to,” he eventually choked out.

“I wanted to,” you answered before continuing. “Who knows, maybe I’m your good luck charm.” 

He knew you were joking. He could hear as much in your voice. But it still made his heart clench a little at the thought.

“Guess you gotta watch every game then.” 

“Guess you gotta teach me the game so I understand it then.” 

His arm tightened around you, his face burned red and his heart skipped a beat or two. But he still managed to mutter out, “Deal, Cherry.”

.

[letsgetrowdy43]

Love on the lake—

Quinn Hughes x Fem!Reader

Request: 🐞 Quinn isn't usually a touchy person but when he gets with the reader he is all over her "Never figured you for this much of a cuddler."

Warnings/notes: It's a cold start, couldn't quite think of a better intro so please ignore that!

End of summer celebration!!

One of Quinn's hands gently held her hips flush to him as he steered the boat, a grin on his face as her hands placed themselves over his on the steering wheel. "You're doing really good," he mumbled into her ear, followed by a kiss on her freckled cheek right before he explained the importance of the water markings. Her back pressed against his toned chest as he taught her how to steer the boat, her bottom lip pulled between her teeth as she nodded at his instructions before he removed her hands and let her take control.

His hands began to roam her sides, sending goosebumps down her warm skin as he began playing with the little red bows on the hips of her bikini bottoms which gained a groan from his brothers in the background who had been tortured with Quinn's affection towards his girlfriend since she arrived in Michigan earlier in the week.

Sometimes, it was as if his brothers ceased to exist the moment she appeared. This, of course, led to many agonizing moments for his younger siblings.

Quinn wasn’t usually one for public displays of affection, especially not around his family. But now as he sat with his girlfriend prettily on his lap in the captain's chair of the boat, his arm wrapped securely around her, he couldn’t help himself.

He was completely, unabashedly, all over her, and he didn’t care who saw it.

Jack and Luke, who were both sprawled out on the opposite side of the boat, couldn’t help but notice the giddiness that seemed to occupy Quinn's demeanour. Jack shot his older brother a look, raising an eyebrow in mock disbelief at his shameless roaming hands.

“Never figured you for this much of a cuddler, Q-ball,” he teased his tone light but with that signature smirk Quinn knew all too well, all the while his girlfriend's face broke out a red flush. Luke chimed in, nudging Jack with his elbow. “Yeah, who knew Quinn had a soft side? What happened to your mysterious act?”

Quinn rolled his eyes but couldn’t wipe the grin off his face as the girl leaned further into his hold, face buried in his neck as she hid the slight embarrassment of being caught.

Normally, Quinn might have been a little annoyed at their jabs, but today he was too content to care. “You guys are just jealous,” he shot back, his thumb absentmindedly tracing circles on her thigh.

She laughed softly, tilting her head to look at him with a smile that made his heart do that weird fluttery thing it always did when she was around. “I didn’t realize I was dating such a softie,” she teased, her voice full of affection and a little sultry as she dipped down to press a kiss to his lips, eliciting a cry of agony from his little brothers. "You changed me for the better I fear," he said lowly as he looked up and waved off at the boat passing by.

Jack leaned back, folding his arms behind his head as he shot Quinn a knowing look. “Man, you’re in deep,” he said with a laugh. "It's pretty sad,” Luke agreed, chuckling as he shook his head before ridding himself of his shirt and diving into the lake.

He looked down at her, the warmth in his chest growing as she smiled back at him. No words were needed—just a simple look that solidified the unspoken connection between them, something that resembled love that ran deeper than anything words could convey.

The day got hotter as the laughter and playful banter of his brothers echoed around them. But for Quinn, all that mattered was the girl in his arms, the way she fit so perfectly against him, and the simple, undeniable fact that he was exactly where he wanted to be.

And as the sun began to dip lower in the sky, casting a golden glow over the water, Quinn leaned down and pressed a kiss to the top of her head, his brothers’ teasing forgotten. He was content, truly happy, in a way he hadn’t expected. And even though this wasn’t typical for him, he found that he loved every minute of it.

Because with her, being a little out of character felt like the most natural thing in the world.

-

-

-

[brainddeadd]

luke hughes back in michigan and running into the girls he’s even crushing on for years since he met her at umich. quinn and jack are with him and they are so surprised because they have never see luke act this way towards anyone

A sun-soaked afternoon at a local coffee shop near the University of Michigan. Luke, Quinn, and Jack Hughes walk in, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee filling the air. As they chat and laugh, Luke's eyes scan the room, landing on a familiar face—you.

You’re seated at a table, absorbed in a book, and a soft smile crosses Luke’s face. He nudges Quinn and Jack, pointing subtly in your direction.

“Is that…?” Luke begins, his voice barely a whisper, eyes wide with disbelief.

“Yeah, it is!” Quinn replies, raising an eyebrow. “You’ve been talking about her for years!”

Jack smirks, noticing the way Luke’s demeanor shifts from relaxed to a flurry of nervous energy. “You’re actually blushing, dude. This is gonna be good.”

“Shut up!” Luke shoots back, his cheeks warming as he tries to compose himself. “I’m just… surprised.”

“More like you’re crushing hard,” Quinn teases, and Luke shoots him a glare.

“Okay, okay, I’m going,” Luke says, straightening his posture and walking over, trying to appear casual but failing spectacularly. He trips over the leg of a chair, stumbling slightly before catching himself, and the sound of the small commotion draws your attention.

You look up, a smile spreading across your face as your eyes meet Luke’s. “Hey, Luke! Long time no see!” you say, closing your book.

“Y-yeah! Um, hey!” he stammers, a nervous chuckle escaping his lips. “I didn’t expect to see you here�� like, at all. Are you, um, back for the summer?”

“Yeah, just for a few weeks. I’m excited to enjoy some time off,” you reply, your eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. “What about you? How’s the hockey life treating you?”

“Oh, you know, just trying to survive the ice and all that,” he laughs awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck, clearly flustered. “But, um, it's good! Really good.”

Quinn and Jack exchange amused glances from a distance, grinning at their brother’s awkward charm.

“Yeah? That’s awesome! I’m so glad to hear it,” you say, leaning forward, genuinely interested.

Luke’s heart races, and he feels like he’s lost the ability to speak coherently. “S-so, do you, um, come here often?” he asks, internally cringing at the cliché pickup line.

You giggle, finding his awkwardness endearing. “Only when I’m in town. This place has the best coffee.”

“Right, right! Coffee is great! I love coffee!” he exclaims, trying to regain his cool but only making it worse. “I mean, I like coffee. You know, not as much as other things, but it’s up there!”

You can’t help but laugh again, and Luke feels his heart skip a beat at the sound. “What’s your favorite drink here?” you ask, enjoying the banter.

“Um, probably the, uh, caramel macchiato,” he stumbles, finally regaining some composure. “You should try it! It’s—um, really good!”

“Sounds good! Maybe I will,” you say, smiling softly at him, sensing his nervousness. “I could use a little pick-me-up.”

Just then, Quinn and Jack saunter over, both grinning like Cheshire cats. “Oh, we didn’t mean to interrupt,” Quinn teases, crossing his arms. “But Luke here was just telling us how much he missed you.”

“Shut up!” Luke snaps, his face flushing deeper as he shoots his brother a playful glare.

You laugh, watching the playful dynamic between the brothers. “You guys are hilarious,” you say, trying to ease the tension for Luke.

“Yeah, he’s not usually this awkward,” Jack adds, winking at you. “You bring out a different side of him.”

Luke groans, burying his face in his hands. “Okay, can we not? I’m just trying to have a normal conversation here!”

You grin at him, feeling a flutter in your chest. “I think it’s sweet how protective your brothers are. You’re lucky to have them.”

“They’re more of a pain than anything,” Luke mumbles, but he can’t hide his smile. “But I wouldn’t trade them for anything. So, um, do you want to hang out sometime while you’re back?”

Your heart skips, and you nod eagerly. “I’d love that! Just let me know when you’re free.”

“Cool! Great! I’ll, um, text you?” he stutters, looking hopeful yet nervous.

“Definitely,” you reply, feeling a warm thrill at the thought.

As you part ways, Luke can’t help but grin as he rejoins his brothers, who are still chuckling. “What was that?” Jack asks, an amused glint in his eyes.

“I don’t know, man! I was just… talking!” Luke protests, but the smile on his face betrays his excitement.

Quinn claps him on the back. “Well, you didn’t trip over your words too much, so that’s a win!”

“Yeah, yeah,” Luke replies, still riding the high of your interaction. “I think I really like her.”

“Ya think?” Jack teases, but there’s a warmth in his voice. “Looks like someone’s got a summer crush.”

Luke chuckles, a dreamy look in his eyes as he walks out of the café. “It’s more than a crush. I’m gonna make this summer count.”

[pucked-bunnie]

told you so ⎜l.hughes

pairings: luke hughes x reader, platonic!ethan edwards x reader genre: fluff synopsis: you didnt know a trip to a theme park for halloween horror nights would change your 'just friends' status word count: 3.6k

“Wake up.” 

You yank one of the pillows over your head, turning away from the hand that reaches out for you. 

“Wake up.” The voice whines again, a heavy weight sinking the base of your bed. 

“Go away.” You groan, trying to tighten your grip on the pillow over your head, the body next to you sitting up with a groan. 

“Jack, get out.” His voice is raspy as he swats at his older brother, your eyes squeezed shut as you try to ignore the two brothers arguing. Jacks laugh echoes as you lift your pillow throwing it at the end of the bed smiling at the sound of it hitting it’s target before letting out a long huff. You sit up in the bed, sweeping your hands through your hair, the brown tangled with the blue scrunchie your forgot to take out last night. 

“What are you even doing in here?” You hiss, glancing over at your displeased bed mate who glares at his brother, his curly hair a mess on top of his head, his left cheek flushed from being pressed into his pillow. 

“We’re going out.” Jack responds, his smile growing as he glances between the two of you. 

“Out?” You question, rubbing the sleep out of your eyes, before trying to untangle your hair. Jack pulls his phone from his pocket dropping it on the bed letting you glance down at the tickets on his screen. 

“A theme park?” You question, pulling your hair over your shoulder tugging at the scrunchie some more before sighing and pushing it back off your shoulder. 

“Managed to snag some tickets to the halloween horror night.” Jack exclaims the excitement shining in his eyes. You can’t help the way your shoulders suddenly straighten, your eyes brightening as you pull Jacks phone off the bed, looking closer at the tickets. 

“Horror Night?” Luke asks, his hand slowly reaching over to the matted hair sitting on your spine pulling the tangle towards him as he slowly untangles the knot, his eyes never leaving his brother. 

“Yeah, like at universal? She’s been talking about it for weeks.” Jack says swiping his phone from your hand when it dings, the message clearly not something he wants you to see, his cheeks flaming as you raise your eyebrow at him. Luke drops your scrunchie in your lap as he brushes his fingers through the ends of your hair a few more times before letting it fall on your back, his hand retreating back to the mattress. 

“Quinn said we’re leaving at two so you better get ready.” Jack coos before sliding off the mattress sauntering out of the room, his attention now completely on his phone. 

Luke glances at you with a soft smile before dropping back onto the bed, throwing his arm over his eyes in an attempt to fall back asleep. 

“No.” You grumble, picking up the previously thrown pillow smacking it against him. “We have to get up.” You say glancing down at your phone, only an hour to get ready and knowing Quinn he expects everyone to be out of the house at two on to dot. 

“C’mon Luke it’ll be fun.” You whine, as you slip off the mattress hitting him again with the pillow. 

“Fine.” He grumbles, rolling off the bed with a thump his shoulders slumped as he pulls himself off the floor, making his way into the bedroom. 

+

+

“So you two just slept?” Ethan questions as he sits besides you, watching as you tug on your converse tying the laces as you go. 

“Yep.” You respond looking up at him in confusion at his sudden questions. You and Luke had been friends for years, meeting a few years ago at the University of Michigan open day, where you were both introduced to the third in your trio, Ethan. With both hockey players being in the same team and both later drafted to New Jersey Devils together they became close friends quickly, the two of them opting to spend any free time they had with you. 

“So nothing happened at all?” He asks again. 

“Yes Ethan, nothing happened. We are friends and we shared a bed cause all the rooms were full and I felt bad that he was going to sleep on the couch.” You answer standing from your spot on the couch to grab your mini backpack, making sure you had all the supplies you would need for the day. “I would’ve shared a bed with you if the roles were reversed.” You emphasise, rolling your eyes at Ethans wide grin. 

“Knock it off.” You sneer,  zipping your bag and grabbing the water bottle off the counter taking a short sip before moving towards the front door, Quinn already waiting glancing down at his watch impatiently. “Ready when ever you are.” You say as you stop in front of the oldest Hughes brother, returning his small grin before waiting besides him for his two younger brothers. 

“Why don’t you two goat, we’ll be out in just a moment.” Quinn mumbles, handing you the keys which are promptly plucked from your hands. 

“Aye Aye Captain.” You say with a mock salute, Quinn letting out an exhausted laugh as you follow Ethan out to the car, sliding into the backseat as he adjusts the dials for the air conditioner. 

“It’s just interesting that two single people, share the same bed and nothing happens.” Ethan starts again, the glare you land on him making him throw his hands up in defence, climbing over the centre console into the back seat as the brothers make their way towards the car. “I’m just making a point.” He says with one more smile as the back door opens, Luke looking between the two of you with furrowed brows. 

You move into the middle seat, letting Luke slide in besides you as you do up your seat belt, holding Ethans tightly in your hand as he tries to pull it towards himself. “Give me my seatbelt.” He huffs tugging on it some more, but your hold in unwavering as you shake your head. 

“You don’t deserve safety.” You hiss, Quinn snorting as he looks over his shoulder between the two of you. 

“Give him his seatbelt.” He says and you glare at the oldest before obliging letting go of Ethans seatbelt with a snap, a small smile as it smacks against his arm. “Lord, please save me.” Quinn sighs as he puts the car in reverse. 

+

+

“They really went all out on the decorations, didn’t they?” Luke asks as everyone slides out of the car taking in the new appearance of universal studios, the halloween decorations at the next level. 

“No need to be scared, Lukey.” Ethan coos as he comes around the back of the car, slinging his arm over your shoulder, watching Luke’s gaze watch the gesture. “They’re just actors.” Ethan continues, pulling you closer to him, his front pressed to your back as he places his chin on your shoulder, his smile growing as Luke frowns. 

Ethan makes his way to the front gates of the theme park, dragging you along with him, his arm still slung around your shoulders, his fingers tracing against your arm. 

“What’re you doing?” You question as your friends trail behind you, Ethan glancing over his shoulder at the group before leaning in closer to whisper in your ear. 

“Proving a point.” 

The front gates are still closed tightly, groups of people gathering out the front, the conversation buzzing with anticipation. You all watch as the actors start crowding around the front gates, each in an immaculately terrifying costume, one of the large men in the clown costumes stopping in front of you, reaching his arms through the bars. 

You let out a nervous laugh as you take a step back, slipping from Ethans embrace to take a spot next to Luke who stands towards the back, still easily able to see over the crowds. “Clowns?” He asks with disgust your head just nodding the smile not leaving your face as you glance over some of the other guests. 

“What was Ethan whispering to you?” Luke asks quietly, his arms stiff by his sides, watching as his friend chats animatedly with his older brothers, his eyes occasionally drifting over to the two of you. 

“Nothing.” You say quickly, Luke looking down at you with a raised eyebrow. “Seriously, it was just Ethan being Ethan” you reassure turning towards the sudden yelling of Jack, a few bodies moving through the crowd towards you, the unmistakeable smile of Cole Caulfield beaming over to you as he greets his friends, and where Cole Caulfield goes, Trevor Zegras follows. 

Cole is quick to ignore his friends rushing over to sweep you into a hug, his arms tight around you as he lifts you from the ground, spinning in circles. “I didn’t know you were coming.” He exclaims in excitement, giving you a few more squeezes before setting you on the ground and letting you go, the dizziness hitting as Luke places his hand on your lower back to steady you. 

You send a quick smile and wave over to Trevor who returns it before turning your attention back to Cole. “We didn’t even know it was happening till Jack told us like two hours ago.” You chuckle, your hand gripping Luke shirt as the dizziness settles, the boy stepping closer his hand still supporting you. 

Coles next words are interrupted by the loud blearing of a bull horn, the gates rattling as the actors get more excited, more into character. “You’re mine, little girl.” The clown sneers his hand still reaching out towards you, Luke stepping even closer as a shiver runs down your spine, a nervous smile on Coles face as he moves back towards your friend group. 

“I really hate clowns.” Luke says with a grimace, his thumb tracing soft circles on your back, as the gate begins to open, people slowly filing into the theme park, cheerful screams echoing as the actors do their jobs. 

“Ditto.” You smile, reaching your hand behind you to take hold of Luke, your fingers lacing as you pull him towards the park, his palms sweaty as his hand grips yours. 

“Where to first?” You question as you reach the group, Cole and Trevor looking around at all the rides before pointing at the giant drop - everyone nodding in agreement before trying to make their way over. Moving through the park quickly is almost impossible with actors trying to jump out at any stage to scare you. 

Cole managed to get sandwiched between two large zombies his pleas for mercy making the whole group laugh as they abandon him to the flesh eating monsters. You feel Lukes hand squeeze yours anytime a creepy monster comes close, his smile never leaving his face as he stick close to your side, occasionally throwing one of his brothers into the mix as a distraction, the ride finally coming into view. 

“Oh wow, this is a lot higher then I remember.” You exclaim as you and your friends join the line for the ride, everyone sharing their stories of the last time they were on the ride. Ethan makes his way over to you and Luke stopping besides you, his gaze falling down to your joined hands with a knowing grin, your fingers flexing in Luke as your pull your hand free, glaring at the intruder. 

“I wanna sit in the middle of my two best friends.” Ethan teases, slinging his arm over Lukes shoulder, ignoring the way Luke looks down at his empty hand and back to yours. 

“No.” Luke is blunt as he shoves his friends arm off his shoulder, before adding, “she can sit in the middle.” 

“Suits me.” Ethan agrees, reaching out to grab your hand, which you pull away quickly. “Oh c’mon hold my hand.” He whines making grabbing motions for you. 

“No thanks.” 

“I know you’re scared of heights.” He teases and you shrug. 

“I would rather die scared then hold you hand.” You hiss, a small grin on your face as your group moves closer to the front. 

“I’m so sorry guys, we just have one more with our group.” Jacks voice catches your attention, his words directed at the people behind you as he ushers another through the line, the small blonde stopping with your group a shy smile on her face. Jack ignores everyone else pulling her to his side, the two chatting softly as the line continues to move. 

“Wow not even an introduction.” You huff, crossing your arms over your chest as Jack tucks his girlfriend into his side, shooting a glance towards you, the blush high on his cheeks. 

“Next group.” The worker begins ushering people through, Trevor promptly grabbing hold of Quinn, making him promise not to let him die. Ethan gets guided to a seat beside cole, the worker motioning for you a Luke to move around to the other side of the ride. 

“Sucked in.” You tease as you pass Ethan, sticking your tongue out at him as you walk away, taking off your bag and placing it in front of your seat before glancing at the high chair. 

“Need some help?” Luke asks as he moves to his own seat. You shake your head turning around before trying to lift yourself into your seat, huffing when it doesn’t work to first time, trying one more time before Luke laughs his hand softly gripping your waist as he gives you a hoist the next time you jump, your butt sliding into the seat. 

“Comfy?” Luke confirms and when you nod he moves to his own seat, easily lifting himself into the slot, the worker making quick work of pulling down and buckling everyones harnesses. The worker wishes everyone good luck as he starts the ride the chair starting to lift slowly. 

“Luke?” You ask, your watching the ride ascend, your feet dangling below you. He hums in response craning his head to look at you. “Can you hold my hand?” You question, removing your gaze from the floor to look up at him, his hand wasting no time in reaching for yours. 

“You’re shaking.” He notes and you just nods swallowing the lump in your throat. “You didn’t have to go on this if you were so scared.” He adds and you shake your head sending him a reassuring grin. 

“I wanted to. It just the anticipation.” You note, one hand gripping your harness as the other squeezes the life out of Lukes. As the ride comes to a stop at the top your breathing quickens, the adrenaline kicking in as you take in the view, watching the scare actors continue to work down below. 

“Wow.” You say looking over the theme park. 

“Yeah, wow.” Luke says softly, his eyes still glued to the side of your face. 

“We’re gonna die.” You hear Trevor scream from the other side, Luke lifting your hand to place a soft kiss on your knuckles, smiling as the ride clicks, the sudden drop ripping a scream from you as it plummets to the ground, your scream turning into a laugh as it breaks the ride slowing. “We’re alive.” Trevor exclaims, and you can almost see the way Quinn would be rolling his eyes. 

+

+

“She’s cute.” You whisper as you slide into the seat besides Jack, taking a long sip of your bottle of water, smiling as the man looks over to his girlfriend. 

“She is.” He whispers back, turning to face you with an equally as cheeky grin. “What about you? Just friends?” He says with a questioning look towards his younger brother, his eyebrows raised as you look towards the youngest Hughes. 

“I don’t know anymore.” You grumble, your shoulder slumping as Jack pats your shoulder. “We have moments where I think he’s gonna say something, or do something and then it just doesn’t happen, and I’m too chicken to make a move because what if we are just friends to him.” 

Jack lets out a surprised laugh looking at your dumbfounded as he glances towards his little brother again, Luke attention now on where you and Jack sit. 

“You good?” Luke mouths and you nod, turning your attention back to the wooden picnic table in front of you. 

“Are you kidding me?” Jack asks, “You have to be fucking with me if you think that he only sees you as a friend.” Jack continues, watching his little brother watching you. “Luke would’ve never come to something like this if it wasn’t for you, he would rather die then come face to face with a clown.” 

“Yeah, because we’re friends. Friends hang out.” You explain and Jack shakes his head. 

“Not even close - Luke doesn’t do anything like this for his friends, and he definitely doesn’t share his two grand orthopaedic mattress with someone he considers ‘just a friend’.” Jack continues patting your thigh gently as he adds, “one year Ethan tried to share his bed with him and Luke dragged him from the room before locking him out. He kept his room under lock and key the whole summer.” 

“Hey, are you coming to the haunted house with us?” Ethan asks jogging over to the table, stopping by your side, as he holds his hand out for you to take. You glance over to Luke who’s still watching you and his brother, and take Ethans hand letting him pull you up from the seat. 

“Just remember what I was telling you.” Jack mumbles to you with a firm nod, before turning towards the small girl sliding in next to him with a churro, offering some of it to the lovestruck hockey player. 

“So, what was he telling you?” Ethan asks as the two of you walk behind the group towards the haunted house, your hands swinging between the two of you as you walk. 

“Honestly?” You ask Ethan nodding quickly. “He was telling me that I’m stupid for not thinking that Luke thought of me as more than a friend.” Ethan pauses, his footsteps faltering for a minute before he continues walking. 

“He’s right.” Ethan says his hand tightening on yours as he looks over at his best friend, “Luke adores you.” Ethan continues, his hand squeezing yours again as he glances down at you. 

“But if we’re wrong and he doesn’t feel that way, it won’t change things between us.” Ethans voice drops a little as he leans down closer to your ear, “It wouldn’t change the way I feel about you.” Ethan presses a soft kiss to your cheek before dropping your hand, jogging slightly to catch up with the group, leaving you standing at the back of the group palm pressed against your burning cheek. 

“I knew I’d find you again.” A voice growls in your ear, fabric covered hand gripping your forearms as your turned away from your group, the large clown from earlier in the day standing in front of you with a wicked grin.  

“What the fuck?” You yelp, trying to shake his grip off of you. “Ha ha funny, you got me.” You joke sarcastically, trying again to shake off the clown who just continues to grin down at you. “You can let go now.” You hiss, finally yanking your wrists out of his hands. 

“Sorry Krusty, I need to borrow her for a minute.” A voice says from behind you, a large hand wrapping around your wrist and pulling you towards his tall figure, his eyes darting over the clown before he takes a step away. “We have unfinished business.” He concludes with shrug before turning and walking away from the confused clown, the actor dropping the scary facade watching Luke drag you away. 

“I fucking hate clowns.” He shivers as he walks over to the haunted house where the group stand waiting for you, shooting them a look before walking straight past them, pulling you around to the side of the building. 

“What is going on with you and Ethan?” Luke asks abruptly, letting your arm fall back to your side as he looks down at you. 

“What are you talking about?” You question. 

“Are you kidding? He’s been hanging all over you all day and the whispering while no one is looking.” He adds, taking a long breath before continuing, “Don’t even get me started on that stupid little kiss.” You just watch as he starts pacing, listing all the things throughout the day he’d noticed Ethan was doing, all the things that were bothering him. 

“Are you two together or something?” Luke finally stops in front of you, his eyes tired as he asks the question. 

“Why? What does it matter to you?” 

“It matter because I thought we were— because I thought you— I don’t know.” He stumbles on his words, his hand rubbing over his face. He pauses taking a long breath before reaching out for you. 

He takes one step forwards, his hands smoothing up your arms. 

“I need you to tell me the truth.” 

He takes another step forwards.

You take one back. 

“This is life or death.” He whines, taking two steps forwards pressing his forehead against yours. “Are you dating Ethan?” 

“No.” 

“Are you interested in Ethan?” 

“No.” 

“Are you interested in me?” His eyes are closed now, his hands slipping down to your hands, twining your fingers together waiting patiently for your answer. 

“Yes.” You voice is barely a whisper as your gaze trails over his face, you can feel the way he relaxes at your words, his body closing in, his forehead heavy on yours. 

“Thank you, lord.” He praises, lifting his head off your and opening his eyes, a soft smile on his face as his thumbs stroke the backs of your hands, lifting them between the two of you to place soft kisses on each of your knuckles. 

“Are you guys coming or not?” Ethan says, popping his head around the corner, a shit eating grin on his face as he takes in the two of you, his eyes locking with yours as he adds, “told you so.” 

[spiderwcd]

siren lake c.b.

pairing: colby brock x mermaid/siren ! f ! reader

summary: they come to explore the haunted lake, but maybe it wasn't just haunted.

warning(s): mentions of deaths, near drowning, profanity, near-death experiences mystical creatures, etc.

w.c.: 3.3k

a/n: guys, please don't hate me!! i've been away so long, ive been having writer's block and then i've been so busy with my life and having the worst luck ever (they weren't wrong about that fanfic writer curse) but trust me! i have a lot of works saved, slowly plowing through them.

images from pinterest !

“Dude,” Sam abruptly jumped from his seat on the couch, carrying his laptop over to Colby. “Look at this.” He pointed the screen towards him, revealing his discovery.

Colby curiously averted his gaze over to the screen, reading the article that was pulled up. “W-What am I looking at here, Sam?” he inquired, raising a brow towards him.

“Well, someone sent me this article about this supposedly haunted lake,” Sam began, plopping himself next to Colby on the couch. “They say that these entities are haunting it, causing a bunch of disappearances.” He finally added.

Taking a moment, Colby glanced at the article, contemplating. “I mean, it’s worth a shot,” Colby muttered, facing towards his best friend.

In due time, they arrived in Michigan, the Land of the Lakes. Colby had been studying about this mysterious lake, finding holes in different stories. It was something unknown to him, unable to find an obvious answer here.

“Okay, so as we know,” Sam began, looking over at Colby from the driver’s seat. “This lake is in the middle of the forest, near some campsites.” Sam clarified.

Colby nodded, understanding his statement, “Don’t forget to mention the disappearances, also about the spirit that drowns first in the 80s.” He pointed out.

Sam nodded in return, pursing his lips as he attempted to dig further into his thoughts. “Oh, what about the mermaid theory?” Sam suddenly blurted out.

Colby scoffed, looking over at Sam with a slight grimace. “Seriously? Mermaids?” Colby murmured, flipping through his notebook. “I mean, sure, it’s a fun idea to entertain, but we both know that’s not real.”

“Oh hey, come on,” Sam nudged Colby, still steering the wheel of the car. “It’s nice to have an imagination here, Colby.” Sam chuckled, patting him on the shoulder before placing both hands on the wheel.

Colby shook his head, smiling as he studied the pages of research. He examined the illustration on the page, deep into toying with the idea. He shook his head once more, closing the page as he thought about the ridiculous idea.

The car came to a halt, prompting Colby to face upward to the scene. His jaw flew open in amazement, admiring the large forest surrounding them. The middle showcased a lake larger than he had envisioned.

“Woah,” Colby muttered, exiting the car to get a better view. “Did not expect it to be so gorgeous out here.”

“Even if this comes to a dead end, at least we’ll have a good time in the middle of the forest.” Sam joked.

“You must be Sam and Colby,” they had suddenly heard, causing them to avert their gaze over to the voice. “Hi, I’m Ben.” The man waved over towards the two.

The duo made their way towards their host, introducing each other.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Ben had asked them.

“Oh yes,” Sam nodded, glancing around once again. “Very nice, exceeded our expectations.”

“That’s great,” Ben chuckled, leading the two towards the cabin that peered over the ominous lake. “Cause the two of you will be staying here, so get used to it.”

Sam and Colby glance at each other for a moment, following Ben towards the door. As they entered, they studied the room. It wasn’t one of their Airbnbs, but it was still nice, grateful for a roof and not a tent. 

Colby’s eyes slowly averted towards the window, as if an irresistible force was pulling him towards the lake. But swiftly pulled away at the pat on his shoulder, facing towards the grasp.

“Isn’t that right, Colby?” Sam asked him, confusing Colby. 

“Huh? Oh yeah, for sure.” Colby randomly replied, going along with Sam’s story. 

“Alright, I’ll let ya get to it then,” Ben sighed, making his way toward the entrance. “I’ll come back in the morning to check on y’all. Remember to check the list I left every night.” He pointed out. 

Once Ben had exited the campground, leaving the duo alone in the woods. Colby let out a breath as he planted himself onto one bed, rubbing his eyes slightly. 

“Well, what did you want to start with?” Sam asked, plopping next to him. “Did you want to do the intro or do more research?” 

Colby peaked from his hands, looking towards Sam. “Uh, let’s just figure out our intro and record that, followed by more research,” he answered. 

They didn’t waste any time, every minute counted for them. Considering the way the sun crept through the blinds and curtains, the time was very limited. Colby’s fingers started to cramp from the various writing and typing, along with the migraine sneaking in.

“That’s it,” Colby blurted, tossing the pencil down. “I think it’s time to throw the towel. I need a break.”

“Me too,” Sam sighed. “If I have to write one more thing, my head might explode.”

Colby dryly chuckled, planting himself onto his feet. “I’m just gonna go out onto the pier. I need some time alone.” 

He opened the door, letting the cool wind hit his face. He quickly closed the door, walking towards the wooden structure. Colby let out a groan as he crossed his legs, overlooking the large body of water. He ran his hand through his hair, attempting to relax as he listened to the soft music of the forest. 

But he lost his train of thought, a splash ringing out. Colby curiously raised his brow, searching for the source of the ripple of water. He focused in on one area, unable to take his eyes off. 

Colby soon got interrupted by a ringing from his pocket, pulling his eyes away from the lake. He picked himself off the wobbling planks, retrieving his phone. 

“Hello?” he answered, still glancing over towards the ominous lake. 

“Colby, get in here,” Sam waved over from the window, still on the line. “I found something.” 

Colby hung up the phone call, stuffing the phone back into his pocket. As he entered the cabin, Sam quickly dashed his way and shoved his laptop into Colby’s face. 

“Look.” Sam smugly grinned. 

Colby looked at his best friend before looking back towards the screen. 

‘Sirens in Michigan?’ 

“Sam,” Colby tried to protest, but Sam was persistent. 

“Listen, we hunt ghosts. How much different can this be?” Sam scoffed, attempting to change Colby’s mind. “Can you at least be open to the idea?” 

Colby looked at Sam with a blank look, crossing his arms. “Fine, we can be open to the idea, but I’m still skeptical about it all.”

The next day arrived, prompting the boys to prepare their video at last. Colby stood at the edge of the lake, awaiting Sam to finish setting up the camera. Sam gave Colby a thumbs up, signaling everything was ready. 

“Hey, what’s up guys!” Sam greeted. “It’s Sam and Colby, and we’re here at the Siren Lake in Michigan!” he panned the camera towards the lake and treeline. 

“We’re here to investigate the various spirits that might be roaming the lake,” Colby began explaining. “But also, as the name suggests, there might be more than just spirits here.” 

“That’s right guys,” Sam chimed in. “There are supposedly sirens, aka mermaids, in this very lake.” 

“If you ask me, I don’t think there’s such a thing,” Colby raised his hands in defense, causing Sam to shake his head. “Listen, ghosts and demons have a lot of proof and we’ve seen them, but mermaids?” Colby scoffed. 

“I think you’ll say differently later,” Sam smirked. “Cause one of us is gonna have to go onto the pier and talk to the said spirits or whatever roams that lake.” 

The two continued to talk, making their way around the lake for a bit. 

“Okay, so the history of this lake begins with a family, as most do,” Sam began. “The Bradson family had owned this lake from generations ago until the 80s.” 

“The only reason they had sold it off is because they used to run a camp here until odd drownings had appeared,” Colby added. “And all of them were all men.” 

“That doesn’t give us a lot of comfort, does it now?” Sam joked, nervously laughing into the camera. 

“Our guide and the owner of the campgrounds will be here in a moment to explain more in-depth,” Colby explained. “He knows more than we do.”

Just in time, a car pulled back onto the dirt road. Ben exited his car, greeting the boys once more. 

“Perfect timing,” Sam laughed. “We just began introducing you.” 

Ben chuckled, making his way towards the two, “Almost as if I was summoned here.” He joked. 

Sam turned on his camera, recording once more, “So actually, as we closed our camera, our guide just pulled in.” He chuckled, pointing it towards Ben. “Say hello to Ben.” He introduced

“Alright, Ben, we just want to know what you know,” Colby started, crossing his arms slightly. “Tell us your secrets.” 

“As you must already know, this used to be a campground until the 80s,” Ben began. “Do you know why they call it Siren Lake?” He asked the two.

Sam glanced over to Colby with a grin, causing Colby to roll his eyes. 

“Yeah, we might have an idea,” Sam answered. 

“Well, people started talking about how the victims were all men,” Ben pointed out. “A rumor started that they were ‘seduced’ over to the water and murdered by a siren.” 

“Really? Sirens?” Colby scoffed, laughing a bit. 

“Yep, since the lake connects to a river that leads to the ocean, they assumed that something supernatural might cause of this.” Ben chuckled at Colby’s reaction. 

“Can you tell Colby is a skeptic about mermaids?” Sam teased. 

“Oh, that’s alright, he won’t be by the end of the trip,” Ben replied. 

While heading to the pier, Ben entertained the group with tales of the profound history and personal experiences of different individuals.

“So tell us, have you seen the siren?” Sam asked curiously. 

Ben thought about it for a moment. “You know, I have,” he nodded. “I was letting a group of guys stay here for the night. I went to check on them and they were freaking out about their friend seeing something. So I went to check out the lake because I figured they saw something and freaked out. But when I stopped at the edge of the pier, I saw something peeking at me through the water.” 

“Woah, that’s so weird,” Sam muttered. “What did you do?” 

“Well, I thought it was someone playing some joke, so I yelled at them to get out of the water and it was private property.” Ben shrugged. “But they just stared at me for a second so I pointed my flashlight over, which made them go underwater and splash away, and I saw bluish silver scales on the biggest fish's tail I’ve ever seen.” 

Sam looked over to Colby, a smug look on his face as if he was saying ‘told you so’. 

“I’d be careful, boys,” Ben warned. “Even you, Colby, sirens are no joke. They will lure you and drown you. Just be careful.” 

“Thank you, Ben.” Sam thanked him, shaking his hand before letting him return to his daily work. 

Sam turned over to Colby, “I told you, what happened to having an open mind?” 

“I’m trying, but mermaids? It’s hard to wrap my head around.” Colby responded. “I already have enough of ghosts and demons.” 

Sam rolled his eyes at his best friend. “Okay, let’s just talk about the spirits. Surely you’ll keep an open mind about that.” He patted Colby on the back, pulling out the various equipment. 

Sam turned on the rem pod, placing it down onto the pier, followed by the Alice box.

“Alright guys, so we’re now gonna talk about the spirits,” Sam sighed. “There were about 3 guys that drowned. They weren’t even able to recover any of their bodies because of how deep this lake is.” 

“Yeah, so their bodies could still be down there,” Colby added, shivering at the thought of it. 

“There’ are a lot of theories about how these guys died, most of them saying they were drunk or under the influence. There’s also speculation that they died from how cold the water was, causing hypothermia, but of course, there’s the siren theory,” Sam stated. “Sirens, though, tend to just kill to kill. It’s said that it killed them because they were terrible guys.” 

“They were awful, apparently having a reputation of being sleazy and gross,” Colby added, having a grimace grow on his face at the idea. “But we’ll try to find out through the spirit box and maybe the Estes method.” 

“I think since I’m more open-minded, unlike my colleague,” Sam teased, pointing the camera towards Colby who shook his head. “I’m gonna be doing the Estes method.” 

They quickly turned on the devices in hand, thinking of questions. 

“Alright, Uh, is there anyone here?” Sam asked to the open, listening carefully as the crickets chirped and the night wind blew past them. 

“...you…”

“Who are you referring to?” Sam responded. 

“...water…” 

“Yep, there’s water here. Is this where you passed away?” Colby nodded, shifting his weight. 

“...rocks… drown…” 

Sam snapped his head towards Colby, a confused look painted on his face. “Woah,” he muttered. Colby agreed, looking back at the Alice box.

“Who are you? Are you one of three men that drowned here?” Sam added, biting his lip as he rubbed his chin with his finger. 

“...Mike…” 

Colby’s jaw dropped, facing the camera. "They're not gonna believe that, but one of the men who passed away was named Micheal Anderson," Colby said, his jaw dropping as he faced the camera.

“...unknown…cold…” 

Sam’s face contorted to one of confusion, looking at Colby for answers. “Maybe they’re saying they don’t remember how they died? I mean, the water gets freezing.”

Colby nodded, attempting to decipher the various words and their meanings. “Can you tell us what happened? Did you guys just die from the cold water or drown from drinking too much?”

“...none…strange…” 

“Huh, maybe the siren theory was right?” Sam nudged Colby. 

“Yeah right,” Colby sneered. “Maybe they died from something else.” 

“...careful…” 

“Look, it’s even trying to warn us,” Sam pointed out, but soon the familiar red light and blaring sound appeared from the rem pod, alerting the two. “Oh my god, that scared the fuck out of me,” Sam murmured, pointing the camera towards the flashing device. 

“Is that you Micheal? Or is someone else making that flash?” Colby asked, stepping away from the rem pod as the light continued to circle. 

“...pussy…” 

Colby blurted out in laughter, followed by Sam. “Wow, maybe they were jerks.” 

“I think maybe the Estes Method will give us a simple answer then,” Sam said, calming down from the fit of laughter. 

Colby turned off the spirit box, handing Sam the bandana followed by the headphones. Once he had put them on, Colby showed the camera that Sam couldn’t respond.

“Okay, so let’s begin,” Colby sighed. “Okay, can you give us a straightforward answer to what happened here? You guys are being very hush-hush about the answer.” 

“Pier,” Sam blurted out. “Something dangerous.” 

“Yeah, some can say drinking and swimming are dangerous,” Colby joked. “Can you clarify more?” 

“Beware of the woman,” Sam answered. 

Colby felt his heart drop, unable to comprehend what that could mean. “Uh, what woman?” 

“She calls for you,” Sam responded, confusion in his voice. “Watching you.” 

A shiver ran down Colby’s spine, goosebumps covering his skin. “W-Wha… Watching me?” Colby repeated, hearing the familiar splashing near the pier. 

Colby snapped his head up, his eyes attempting to adjust to the dark as the moonlight hit the ripples. Colby pointed his flashlight over to the deep gray water, searching for the source, just as he had done earlier in the day. 

Sam continued to speak, unknowing of his best friend’s search. Colby’s feet stopped at the edge of the pier, ignoring all the sounds in the background. He let out a sigh of relief, unable to find any evidence of anything going on. 

But as soon as Colby put down his flashlight, he felt large hands pressed up against his back. Colby, unable to retain his balance, fell into the deep cold waters, which had created a large splash that traveled to Sam. 

Sam tore the headphones and blindfold off his head, turning around to look at Colby as he floated to the top. 

“Woah, you alright, man?” Sam hurried to the edge, squatting down as he offered a hand to him. 

Colby let out a laugh, swimming towards the pier. “Someone fucking pushed me in.” He muttered, reaching for Sam’s grasp. 

He was about to grab Sam’s palm, but felt a tug at the end of his legs. “What the fuck, something grabbed-” 

Colby’s sentence soon cut off as he got pulled under the water. He kicked the unknown entity, gasping for air as he heard Sam’s voice muffle as he called out for him. 

Colby thrashed, adrenaline kicking in as he attempted to free himself. Colby looked down at the void of the lake, unable to find the source. Water filled his mouth, oxygen slowly escaping his body. His body sank, and the energy to fight slowed. 

Colby had accepted there wasn’t a way out of this doom, looking up as he slowly descended into the seemingly never-ending waters. His vision slowly distorted as he examined the murky waters above him. 

“Wow, I never realized it was a full moon tonight,” was all he could think about 

Just as he thought it was the end, he saw something move out of the corner of his eye. A figure slowly circled him as it made its way past the moonlit waters, a glow of bluish silver reflecting as its hair sprawled around it. 

Well, it wasn’t rather it; it was a woman. Colby wanted to react, but his body slowly shut down as his vision darkened. She was beautiful, her skin flawless and her long hair engulfing them as she touched his face as if she examined his features. 

Colby’s vision became dark, becoming unconscious. She doesn’t remember men being this flawless, gliding her fingers across his skin. His tattoos caught her eye, something odd about painting skin to her. A frown grew on her face, looking back up at the land above as blue and red lights danced around the surface of the water. 

She looked back at Colby, knowing the minutes were passing by. She quickly grabbed his arm, carrying his limp body up. Peeking over the water, she glanced around at the various people walking around. She bit her lip, brainstorming ideas. 

The mermaid decided it was best to leave him by the shore, where Sam was pacing and freaking out. She knows if she does this, who knows if her identity will be safe? But something against her nature knew this one thing: she did not want the beautiful man to perish. 

She drew him above the water, grunting as she pulled his seemingly lifeless body towards the wet rocks. She looked back at him, her brows furrowing as she fought within herself whether she did the right thing. Under the water once more, she dove, splashing as she vanished, making her way under the pier to observe the scene. 

It wasn’t long until many flashlights lit up the shore, revealing Colby’s drenched and pale body. Sam let out a cry, watching as his best friend coughed and gasped for air as the water exited his lungs. Sam embraced him, relief washing over him as he recovered from his accident. 

Colby sat at the edge of the patient compartment of the ambulance, wrapped in a towel, drowning out as the EMTs and various cops talked to Sam as he stared towards the lake. Something inside him was fighting whether he had made up the mysterious creature or, by some miracle, it was all true. 

Colby jumped as Sam’s hand landed on his shoulder. “Dude, what the hell happened? I thought you were gone. The cops said you were lucky to even make it out of that lake.” 

Colby looked up at Sam before glancing back at the body of water. “I think a mermaid just saved me.”

˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖

thank you guys for reading!

I'm sorry if it's short, Its just something I put together in one day. I do value your opinion, so please do tell me what you think!!

expect more stories soon!

[zegrasdrysdale]

[ christmas in michigan ] l. hughes

day four of malia’s christmas fic marathon

paring : Luke Hughes x jack bsf!reader

summary : (Y/N) is forced to get along with Luke when Jack invites her to the Hughes lake house for Christmas

warning(s) : heavy makeout, some sexual content, some angst

author’s note : i have been wracking my brain to write something for luke and i have been waning to write something angsty for the fic marathon so this is how this came to be. enjoy :)

༺═──────────────═༻

The last thing (Y/N) wanted to do was spend Christmas at the lake house because she knew he was going to be there too. Then Jack said that he wanted her there and she can never say no to her best friend.

That's how she ended up sitting on a plane from Newark to Detroit after the Devils game between Jack and Luke. It isn't a very long plane ride but she doesn't like how close Luke is sitting to her. She tries to keep all her attention on Jack and tries to ignore Luke, but sometimes the youngest Hughes makes a comment or two because he can't seem to keep his mouth shut when (Y/N) is around.

It's not that she has something against Luke, but it seems like he does.

When he came to Newark after his Michigan season ended last season, he made his presence very known. Luke would interrupt her and Jack's hangouts or invite himself to things that they were doing. He always had a snarky comment when she was around.

(Y/N) has no idea what she did for Luke to act like this when she's around. She's just his brother's best friend. That's all she's been since Jack was drafted in 2019.

When Luke gets up to use the bathroom, she is relieved that she gets a few moments of peace. Jack decides to disrupt that peace though.

"Can you do me a favor for the next few days?" Jack asks. She knows what's coming but she looks over at her best friend. "Can you try to get along with Luke while we're at the house? I don't like when my best friend and brother fight. Makes me feel like I'm caught in the middle."

"Because you are," she replies. Jack raises his eyebrows with an 'are you kidding me' look on his face. "Fine. You owe me big time. Maybe get your little brother on the same page too. He's the one that has an issue with me. I have nothing against Luke but he has some vendetta against me when I did nothing wrong."

Before Jack can say anything else, Luke sits back down in his aisle seat. "What are we talking about?" he questions as he looks between his older brother and (Y/N).

"Nothing that concerns you," she retorts.

Luke smiles and asks, "Then why did I hear my name come out of your mouth? Miss me that much when I went to pee?"

"In your dreams, Baby Hughes," she replies. (Y/N) knows he hates being called 'Baby Hughes'.

He rolls his eyes and looks at something on his phone. He puts in his AirPods and she feels a sense of peace.

It doesn’t last very long because as soon as the plane lands at a little past one in the morning, Luke practically pushes (Y/N) off the plane.

She can’t wait to go back home to Newark.

Jack slowly drives them to the lake house because of the layer of snow and ice on the ground. (Y/N) fights Luke for the passenger seat and loses. She has to squeeze in the back seat with a bunch of bags and she is not happy at all.

Maybe she does have something against Luke Hughes. It isn’t just because he’s Jack’s annoying younger brother either. Who lets a guest sit in the backseat with three heavily packed bags because the trunk is filled with hockey gear?

Luke. That’s who.

The lake house is dark when Jack, Luke, and (Y/N) pull up. She knows that Jim and Ellen will be getting in later with Quinn since his game just ended a little bit ago. Tonight, it’s just the three of them in this house.

Jack better get his referee shirt out because it’s going to be a long few hours until Quinn, Ellen, and Jim get in.

As predicted, Luke just grabs his things and goes to his room. (Y/N) is stuck with Jack outside in the snow. She sighs and looks at the middle Hughes.

“What is his fucking problem?” (Y/N) mutters under her breath. “He’s ridiculous.”

She pulls her bag out of the car and Jack says, “He does this every time. He grabs his own stuff and leaves us out to dry. Quinn and I don’t like it either but we deal with it.”

With a light sigh, (Y/N) follows Jack into the house. The door closes behind them and the long few days begins.

“So, the guest bedroom is upstairs across from Luke’s room,” Jack tells her. She opens her mouth to object but Jack keeps talking before she gets the chance to. “I’m aware that sucks for you and I’m sorry. I know being here is the last thing you want to do because Luke is here with his stupid vendetta against you but I want my best friend here. If he causes such a problem for you, can you try to ignore him? I don’t want the two of you to fight.”

A frown forms on her face because she can tell how frustrated Jack is getting with the two of them. The last thing she wants is to upset Jack or make him pick sides between his younger brother and best friend.

“I’ll go talk to him when I’m settled, okay?” (Y/N) tells him. “Maybe you can go get food and drinks while I do that just in case a fight breaks out. I don’t want you to get in the middle.”

Jack nods and the frown on her lips is replaced with a smile. (Y/N) walks up the stairs and down the hallway to her temporary bedroom.

A door closes down the hall so she assumes Jack is in his room. Before she can close her door to unpack, she hears Luke’s voice coming from his room. A very curious (Y/N) presses her ear to Luke’s door.

“… what I’m going to do, Rut,” he’s saying when she begins listening in. He probably on the phone and Rutger McGroarty is most likely on the other side of the line. “What am I supposed to do? She has something against me when I want to pin her against something, dude. It's killing me that she's right across the hallway right now and I can't go over there and just fuck her into that mattress.”

Her eyes widen when she realizes that he’s talking about her. Quickly, she retreats across the hall and shuts her door as quietly as she can so she doesn’t alarm Luke to the fact that she heard what he said. She leans against the door with a sigh.

Confusion floods her body. If Luke wants to fuck her then why does he constantly act like she’s this a person when he can just … fuck her? He constantly pushes her away or says something that annoys her.

She isn’t blind. He’s atttactive and she wouldn’t be totally against it. It just never occurred to her that he would want to sleep with her considering the way he acts when she’s around. The way he’d completely cover her since he is so big and she’s so tiny. How he could probably get her to come with just-

A door shutting downstairs brings her out of her head before that thought could get away from her. She blinks a few times when she realizes what she was about to think about. She hears a car pull out of the driveway and watches the lights disappear down the street.

Frustration floods her entire body when she can't understand why Luke keeps acting like this when he feels completely different. She charges across the hallway to get answers.

(Y/N) pounds on Luke’s bedroom door. “Luke Hughes!” she shouts. “Open the door.” She doesn’t care if he’s still on the phone with Rutger.

"I'm on the phone," he calls back.

She pushes open the door and her eyes fall on Luke, who lays on his bed. "You are the most confusing and irritating person I think I have ever met," she spits at him. He looks at her with wide eyes when she bursts into the room. "I mean, why can't you just man up and tell me exactly how you feel instead of treating me like shit whenever you're around me? It's exhausting."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"You're not quiet when you talk on the phone," she tells him. "I heard you on the phone with Rutger when I came upstairs to unpack." She watches his jaw drop and eyes practically pop out of his head. "Yeah. I heard what you said to him. Something about how you think I have something against you, when I don't by the way. What else did I hear you say? About how you wish you could've come across the hallway and fucked me into the mattress. Yeah. I think that's what I heard."

Luke quickly hangs up the phone and sits up. "Who said I was talking about you?" he questions.

"I'm the only one across the hallway from you, dumbass," she retorts. She runs her fingers through her hair with a deep sigh as soon begins to get out of bed. "If you want to fuck me, then tell me. Be a big boy and put on your big boy pants and-"

As she talks, Luke stomps over and cuts her off by crashing his lips to her in a rough kiss. His hand is on the back of her neck and his fingers curl into her hair so she doesn't go anywhere.

It's a wet and filthy kiss from the beginning, but it catches her off guard so she has to push herself away from him so she can wrap her head around what just happened. She doesn’t get very far because of his hand on the back of her neck.

Fear flashes in Luke's eyes for a split second, but she is so close that she was able to see it. She feels guilty that she pushed him away like that. “If you didn’t want me to do that, I’m sor-”

“Don’t you dare apologize,” she snaps. She takes a sharp breath. “Just give me a second, okay?”

He nods and loosens his grip in her hair so she can back away if she wants. She doesn’t move though.

She stares up at him and thinks about how bad of an idea this would be. Sleeping with her best friend’s younger brother is a terrible idea, especially when Luke has been nothing but rude and annoying toward her.

That just means that no one will probably know what has happened between them.

(Y/N) licks her bottom lip before she gets on her toes to bring their lips together in another hot kiss. Luke seems surprised by this kiss but he does hesitate in returning it.

Her heart races in her chest. This was the last thing she thought would ever happen between them.

The two of them have been at each other’s throats for years. Now they’re kissing like it’s what they’ve wanted to do the entire time.

Maybe it has been the entire time for Luke. She can’t say that she hasn’t had a thought here or there about getting with the youngest Hughes brother. If anything to break the obvious tension between them.

Before she realizes what she’s doing, (Y/N) grasps at the t-shirt Luke is wearing. She pulls him flush against her body and she feels something poke her upper thigh. A small smile forms on her lips.

“You got a hot dog in your pocket or something?” she asks between kisses.

“Shut up,” Luke snaps. “I don’t carry food in my pocket, you asshole.”

“Then you really must’ve wanted me.”

“You have no idea.”

Those words cause her heart to jump in her chest while Luke leans down and picks her up. He’s nearly a foot taller than her so it can’t be very comfortable for him to kiss her. She wraps her legs around his waist.

She attaches her lips to his jaw and carefully kisses the sensitive skin. “You better not leave a mark,” Luke warns her. “I don’t want to explain to my brothers that you turned into a vampire or something.”

To spite him, (Y/N) softly nips at his jaw. Luke turns and drops her on the mattress. She stares up and finds that his swollen lips and wide does just does something for her.

“Get down here, Hughes,” she tells him. “Need you.”

Almost like he was waiting for her to say that, Luke crawls into the bed and hovers over her. Their lips reattach in a filthy kiss that almost causes her to plead for more.

He pulls away and looks down at her. She finds herself chasing his lips. “You’re okay with this?” Luke asks. “I don’t want you to think I’m pressuring you or anything.”

“Luke, if you don’t touch me in the next five seconds, I’m going to get out of your bed and go across the hall to do it myself,” she tells him. “Fuck me like you hate me.”

A sly smirk forms on his face and she knows she’s in for it until Jack gets back.

༺═──────────────═༻

Three orgasms in less than two hours had to be some kind of record. Her body still shakes as Luke cleans her up. She’s completely spent.

He definitely fucked her like he hated her. She’s worried that she might not be able to walk in the morning. The only reason there wasn’t a fourth orgasm was because she heard Jack pull into the driveway.

“If you need to stay for a few minutes, you can,” Luke tells her. “I can go distract Jack until you leave.”

She nods and Luke begins to get dressed. He throws on the clothes he wore when he got here. Her eyes stay on him for a second before she says, “We need to talk about this, Luke. I don’t want this to turn into a fight that we can’t get past.”

Luke looks over as she sits up and secures the blankets under her arms. The tension has broken between them and she doesn’t want something to form after this.

He comes over to her side of the bed that she’s occupying. It catches her very off guard when he leans down and presses a soft yet chaste kiss to her already swollen lips. She raises her eyebrows and looks up at him. She probably looks very confused.

“Hope that explains how I feel,” he tells her as he stands back up. “We’ll talk about it, but right now you need to get across the hall before Jack catches you naked in my bed. I’m not sure I’m ready to explain this to him. I’m sure you aren’t either.”

She shakes her head. “Come across the hall tonight,” she suggests. “We can talk then, yeah?”

Luke smiles and nods before he leaves her alone. There are footsteps on the stairs and voices coming from the living room. (Y/N) sighs and falls back against the pillow that’s under her head.

It would be a lie if she thought that Luke didn’t rock her entire world for the last two hours. He absolutely did, and she wouldn’t be opposed to doing it again. Maybe not as rough next time.

Very slowly, (Y/N) begins to get dressed. She’s shaky on her legs but she manages to get her clothes in without falling over.

Much to her luck, Jack and Luke are walking down the hallway when she leaves Luke’s room. Jack freezes when he sees her. She forces a smile as she looks between the two Hughes boys. “Hi.”

Jack looks up at his brother. “You hurt her and I will send Nico after you,” he tells Luke. “I swear to God, Luke.”

Her eyes widen and a smile forms on Luke’s lips. Jack definitely put two and two together because of how red Luke’s lips are and the fact that she is walking out of Luke’s room.

Walking is a stretch though. Limping is more like it.

“I’ll never hurt her,” Luke replies. “Again.” He looks at a nervous (Y/N) standing in front of Luke’s room. “I’d kick myself if I ever hurt her.”

The nervousness she was feeling melts away and she smiles.

Christmas in Michigan no longer sounds like the worst thing in the world.

༺═──────────────═༻

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[hd-junglebook]

The Art & The Muse

Pairing: Luke Hughes x Artist!Reader

a:n currently spiraling at the moment so don't be shocked if I release five more fanfictions that I wrote 30 minutes before posting with no proof reading. lol.

Masterlist Link

Summary: A struggling artist finds inspiration in the most unexpected place - a painting class which the famous Luke Hughes has joined. y/n is in awe at his beauty, finding herself fascinated by his masculine beauty.

Prologue

word count - 1568

Luke let out a deep sigh as he sank back into the worn leather of his favorite chair, relishing the rare luxury of a day off. No early morning practices, no media obligations, no road trips - just him, his apartment in New Jersey, and the peace and quiet he craved.

Well, almost quiet. Luke could hear the muffled sounds of his older brother Jack clattering around in the kitchen, no doubt raiding the fridge for a snack. Luke rolled his eyes and tried to tune it out, savoring the silence. He loved his brother, but sometimes Jack's boundless energy and enthusiasm could be a bit much, especially on a lazy Sunday like today.

As if on cue, Luke heard Jack's familiar voice echoing down the hallway. "Hey, Lukey! Get your butt out here!"

Luke groaned, resigning himself to the inevitable interruption. "What is it, Jack?" he called back, not bothering to move from his comfortable spot.

Jack appeared in the doorway, mouth half-full of what looked like leftover pizza. "Dude, you need to find a hobby or something. All you do is sit around and talk to girls all day."

Luke raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me." Jack gestured emphatically, spraying crumbs. "Go out and find a girlfriend or something. Do something productive for once!"

"Close the door," Luke said tiredly, waving a hand.

Jack just laughed and turned to leave, still chewing noisily. "Whatever, man. Your life is boring."

Luke waited until he heard the click of the door, then let his head fall back with a groan. Sometimes he wondered how he and Jack could be brothers, let alone teammates. While Luke treasured his rare days off to recharge, Jack always seemed to have boundless energy, constantly looking for the next adventure or party.

A girlfriend, huh? Luke mulled over Jack's words. It wasn't that he was opposed to the idea, exactly. He just hadn't felt that spark with anyone lately. Between his grueling hockey schedule and the demands of his public persona, it was hard enough to find the time and energy for a social life, let alone a serious relationship.

Still, maybe Jack had a point. Luke had been feeling a little...stagnant lately. Perhaps it was time to try something new, step outside his comfort zone a bit. With a decisive nod, Luke reached for his phone.

Luke drummed his fingers against his thigh as he scrolled through the endless list of activities and classes, feeling increasingly discouraged.

His brow furrowed in concentration as he skimmed through the options, mentally crossing each one off as it failed to pique his interest.  Maybe Jack was right - he really was in a rut, stuck in the same old routine day after day.

Just as he was about to give up with a heavy sigh, a flash of inspiration caught his eye. An ad for painting classes at a local art studio.

Luke felt a faint tug of nostalgia as he remembered the hours he used to spend painting with his mom back home in Michigan, a small smile playing at the corners of his lips as the memories surfaced. It had been years since he'd picked up a brush, but the idea of reconnecting with that creative outlet was strangely appealing.

Intrigued, Luke clicked on the website and started browsing through the class schedules, his blue eyes scanning the page intently. The next session was in just two days - perfect.

Without overthinking it, he quickly signed himself up, a spark of determination lighting in his chest. With a decisive nod, he shut off his phone, feeling a renewed sense of purpose.

With a newfound spring in his step, Luke headed out to the living room where he could hear Jack clattering around. "Hey, Jack?" he called out, drawing his younger brother's attention.

Jack poked his head out from the kitchen, mouth full of what looked like leftover pizza. He quirked an eyebrow curiously, his cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk's.

Luke wrinkled his nose in mild disgust at the display, but pressed on. "I, uh, took your advice. I signed up for a painting class that starts in a couple days."

Jack's eyes widened in surprise, a spark of amusement flashing across his features. He let out a bark of laughter, pizza crumbs flying. "Painting? Seriously?" he asked, shaking his head in disbelief.

Luke shrugged, feeling a slight twinge of self-consciousness creep up his spine. "Well, I figured it was worth a shot. Gotta try something new, right?"

"Hey, that's great!" Jack grinned and clapped him on the shoulder, his infectious enthusiasm cutting through Luke's lingering doubts. "Who knows, maybe you'll meet some cute girls there or something."

Luke rolled his eyes, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "That's not really why I'm doing it, Jack."

"Sure, sure." Jack winked and grabbed another slice of pizza, seemingly satisfied with the conversation. "Whatever you say, bro."

Luke shook his head fondly and turned to head back to his room, a newfound spring in his step. Maybe this whole "trying new things" thing wouldn't be so bad after all.

…

Luke pulled his beanie down lower over his sandy blond curls as he stepped out onto the street, trying his best to stay as inconspicuous as possible.

He had thrown on his most unassuming outfit - a simple t-shirt, jeans, and a well-worn pair of sneakers - before hesitantly heading out the door, Jack's cheerful "Good luck!" ringing in his ears.

As Luke made his way down the sidewalk, the nerves started to kick in. What was he doing, really? Signing up for an art class on a whim - it was so unlike him.

The old Luke would have scoffed at the very idea, content to spend his rare days off lounging at home or chatting up pretty girls at the local bars. But that Luke felt stale, stuck in a rut. Maybe it was time to try something new.

Still, Luke couldn't help the self-conscious twinge that made him want to turn right back around and high-tail it home. He could already hear Jack's teasing laughter, the endless ribbing he'd have to endure. But Luke steeled his resolve, forcing his feet to keep moving forward. He'd come this far, might as well see it through.

Luke rounded the corner, nearly colliding with an elderly couple out for an afternoon stroll. "Sorry, excuse me," he murmured, deftly sidestepping them.

The last few minutes of his journey passed in a blur, and before he knew it, Luke found himself standing in front of the art studio, its glass door beckoning him inside.

Taking a deep breath, Luke pushed open the door, immediately greeted by the soothing scent of lavender. His eyes swept over the space, taking in the rows of easels and the vibrant paintings adorning the walls. A petite woman with a thick accent approached him, a warm smile on her face.

"Hello, welcome! Can I help you?"

Luke cleared his throat, suddenly feeling a bit self-conscious. "Uh, yeah, hi. I'm Luke - I signed up for the painting class?"

"Ah, yes, of course!" The woman's eyes lit up with recognition. "It's so wonderful to have you join us. I'm Helena, the instructor. Let me show you where you can set up."

As Helena led him over to an open easel, Luke felt a flicker of genuine interest. He followed Helena through the halls of the art studio, he couldn't help but feel a growing sense of intimidation.

The walls were practically bursting with vibrant, expertly-crafted paintings - from sweeping landscapes to intricate still lifes. He found himself glancing around in awe, suddenly self-conscious about his own artistic abilities.

Helena continued to speak animatedly, her hands gesturing as she explained the layout of the classroom and the materials available. Luke nodded along, trying his best to appear engaged, but his attention was diverted the moment they passed by a particularly striking piece.

The painting was dark, with soft whites and deep blues creating a moody, almost mystical atmosphere. But what truly captivated Luke was the subject - a male figure, rendered with such realism and attention to detail that it almost looked like a photograph.

The sculpted planes of his muscular torso, the veins in his hands, the play of light and shadow across his skin - every element was meticulously crafted, drawing the viewer in with its hypnotic allure.

Luke found himself stopping in his tracks, unable to tear his gaze away. It was as if the man in the painting had somehow come to life, his masculine beauty radiating off the canvas.

Helena let out a light laugh, drawing Luke's attention back to her. "I see you've noticed one of our more...popular pieces," she said, a knowing smile playing at her lips.

Luke felt a faint heat creep up the back of his neck, suddenly self-conscious about his obvious fascination. "Uh, yeah, it's...it's really well done," he stammered, clearing his throat.

"Indeed." Helena gestured towards the open doorway of the classroom. "Shall we? The class is about to begin."

Luke nodded, stealing one last glance at the captivating painting before following Helena into the studio. As he took his seat at the easel, he couldn't help but wonder who the artist was behind such a stunning work. And more importantly, would he have the chance to meet them?

…

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[lfghughes]

can you do a pregnant reader x either quinn or luke hughes at the lake house?

a/n: i feel like i rarely get luke requests so i went with luke for this one plus i don't think i've ever done dad!luke

This summer definitely looked very different for you and Luke. You were used to coming out here to the lake house with the Hughes brothers for years. The guests were always different whether it was the boys from Michigan who were there for Luke or random teammates from each boys respective team or also just the random bunch of friends they had. This year though there was an extra guest technically.

When you and Luke found out you were pregnant it was a shock to you all because it wasn’t planned but both of you were excited. That excitement only grew when you told family and friends. Both of his brothers were excited about their soon to be nephew and so were all the teammates (past and present).

Right now you were all out on the boat with some of the boys, Luke laying out on one of the seats as you leaned against him, his hand resting on your baby bump. “By next summer my little nephew will be wake surfing with us.” Jack said as he got himself ready to get in the water. Immediately shook your head. “Absolutely not.”

You could feel Luke laugh from under you. “Guys relax, I only just convinced her to let me teach him how to skate once he starts walking.” Which you still were unsure of but you let Luke have that one thing out of all the things you were sure that the Hughes brothers would come up with. “Who would have thought Lukey boy would be the first dad out of us.” Quinn pointed out with a shake of his head.

“If anything you guys just all need to catch up so my kid has some friends.” Luke pointed out, his hand mindlessly rubbing at your stomach. “Right little guy? Although Jack with a kid is a pretty scary thought.” He laughed as Jack flipped him off. “Not any scarier than you with a kid. At least I’ll be there to help raise the little guy.”

Even though Jack was teasing you both were relieved that Jack would be close by because having some family to help was nice. But both of you also felt bad because you knew Quinn wanted to be closer for this alone. “And Uncle Quinn is always one FaceTime call away.” Quinn reminded which made you and Luke smile. “Oh the little guy liked that.” Luke commented as he felt his son kick. You looked around at the guys and you that feeling of worry washed away because you knew both you and Luke had the best support system.

[luveline]

I am humbly requesting a steve zombie au where the reader gets hypothermia hehehe😌

ty for ur humble request babe ♡ steve zombie au —steve freaks when you show symptoms of hypothermia. fem!reader 2k

"Steve, I think there's something wrong." 

Steve raises his head to show he's listening, keeping his gaze on the map. You say it through shivers, sleeves pulled down over your makeshift mittens. "What's wrong, honey?"

He's noticed you aren't yourself today, and he thinks a soft tone is the least he can give you. The stupid map in his hand is tattered, creased down the middle from folding and unfolding. He thought getting to Michigan would be easy, walk in one direction and keep on, but you both need to eat and rest and the weather is too cold to go any further. He needs to find a residential, tonight. 

"I feel off. I'm tired and I…" Your mumbling drifts off. 

Steve shoves the map under his arm, "What? Tell me." 

"Cold," you say, slurred, offering your hands. "I can't feel my fingers." 

You're wearing socks over your hands, the best gloves Steve could offer. He takes them with a severe frown, unhappy when the cold of your skin permeates through. You're ice. 

"And you don't feel well?" he asks, feeling up your arm to your neck. 

Steve digs under the layers of your shirts, hoodie, coat, feeling for your pulse. It feels alarmingly slow. He'd never guess from looking at you how slow your heart is pumping. 

Steve doesn't know everything, but he knows you're not supposed to be this cold for this long. You shiver as his fingers warm your neck, a pained hum coming from the very back of your throat as he pulls you in for a hug. 

"Okay," he says, rubbing your back even though he knows it's pointless. "Don't worry. We can't stay outside anymore, huh?" 

Steve aches to have to drag you down road after road, stretches of streets littered with little protection to offer. The roadside stores here are rocked by the elements, windows smashed and ceilings caving in. You're stumbling by the time a crop of houses appear in the distance, lethargic. Steve thought it was bad that you were cold, of course, but this is a more primal fear. You're not cold, you're freezing, actively freezing. 

"You're okay," he says again, his gentlest reassurance. "Sweetheart, just a few more minutes. See that house, the big brown shutters? That's where we're going. Can you do it?" 

"I can do it," you murmur. 

"I know, but it's my turn to ask stupid questions." 

Dead trees line the street, a planter of flowers by the door turned to crisps. Steve props you against a beam of wood holding up the angled porch roof and opens the screen door. He tries the handle on the interior. It's locked, a good sign. 

He's admittedly feeling the adrenaline of your imminent demise. Furious with the world and circumstances and himself for letting this happen, Steve kicks the door down with three big kicks. The bang rings like a shot through the entire neighbourhood, he imagines, but there's no time to worry about it. 

"You have to–" little gasp, Steve's head hurts, "have to sweep the house," you say as he pulls you inside. 

If there's something in here, he has to risk it. Out of options. 

He's as softhanded as he can manage dropping you into a seemingly intact couch. The room appears untouched from whoever left it, rather plush, it's a room Steve would've liked to live in. 

He grabs your face. You meet his eyes, startled. 

"I'm going upstairs for blankets. If something happens, you yell for me as loudly as you can. You don't have to say anything, just scream. Seriously." 

"Yeah," you say breathlessly. The last street of walking and the few steps has exhausted you. 

"Don't sleep," he says severely. 

"No, I won't." 

Steve dumps his bag on the floor. He backtracks to the porch to grab yours and wedges the splintered door closed using your bag as a temporary stopper. 

You must be hypothermic, cold for days, too cold to sleep last night, and it's all Steve's fault. We can do it, he'd said, just another push. He hoped for better standing further out of Indiana. None of it will matter if you get sick. 

He spins to walk up the stairs, falls weak and rushes back into the living room to check on you. 

"Everything's okay," he says, taking your face again into his hands and kissing your forehead. It's purely selfish. 

You touch his elbow. "I know." 

Steve takes off his jacket and puts it over your lap. The house is vaguely warmer than outdoors but it's far from enough to make a difference to you. Heart in his throat, he bounds up the stairs and onto the landing, an L-shape with one bedroom straight in front and four doors on left. The smell of gore coming from the closed master bedroom explains how it could be this clean; it wasn't uncommon at the start of the apocalypse for people to lock themselves in, kill themselves and their families. He has no interest in seeing it, nor unleashing the mould spores that come with decomposition. Whatever blankets were in there are worthless now. 

He takes a left and opens the door with a slam. A teenage bedroom not unlike his own back home, a simple comforter on the bed. He grabs it and tosses it on the landing, dipping into the second room. Bathroom, nothing worth having. The third room is a utility room with a jackpot of folded sheets, towels, padded quilts, and a comforter rolled into a log. He throws everything onto the floor and forgets the fourth door, arms fit to burst with fabric as he descends back downstairs. 

"Steve?" you ask.

"Yep, yes. I'm here." He drops the blankets at your feet. "Are your clothes damp?" 

"I think… no." 

"I'd tell you to take off your jacket," he begins, shaking the biggest comforter out over you as he talks, "but I want as many layers as possible. Come here, sweetheart. Lift your back a little." He tucks you in like a pastry. "Good. Good, thank you, sweetheart." 

"You're being very nice," you mumble, your eyelashes twitching like you've dimes weighing down your eyelids. 

"I'm always nice." 

"No," you say, your head falling back into the couch cushions. It's a family couch made of soft fabrics, not the showy leather piece you'd expect in such a mammoth lodging. "You're okay, though." 

Steve piles blankets on top of you. The cold is eating at him too, his nose stiff, his hair standing on end as gooseflesh ripples over his arms. 

When you've been sufficiently sandwiched, he feels your face again. You're already warmer, his hand creeping down into your shirt to feel for your pulse. Ropey. 

"Sweetheart, I need you to try and perk up," he says, rubbing your cheek with his thumb. 

"Not feeling perky." 

"Ah, but you're always perky. You're my sun, 'cos I'm so awful," he says, panic lining his plea. "You are. I'm going to make you something hot to eat." 

"Hot air?" you ask, slinking further down into your hump of sheets. 

"I think we might be in luck." 

He speaks too soon, really. The cupboards are lackluster. The can of soup he'd been hoping to find doesn't materialise. But there's a small can of ravioli, enough salted fish to make any tom cat happy, and a jug of water beneath the sink. He looks at it and sighs in relief. You have two litres of rainwater in your bag, and that had been the rations. This is one less thing to worry about. 

Steve makes sure that there kitchen door and the patio doors in the lonely dining room are locked, taking a big cooking pot from the pantry (depressingly empty bar a bag of sugar spilled on its side and a sack of grain) and a saucepan from atop the stove. He checks the gass but he's never that lucky, resigning himself to a typical campfire when it doesn't work. 

"Steve, put it back on," you say as he comes back in, your eyes a little wider, slightly more alert. You've pulled your arms out from under the blankets, with his jacket in your hands. 

Steve has kissed you before. You haven't talked about it out loud —he'd like to think a lot has been said in hand-holding, in spooning, and in you hand carding through his hair. He's eager to kiss you again, dumping his findings to hold your wrists. "Thank you," he says, kissing you clumsily, your lips cold. "Now put your arms in. I'll pull the blankets up." 

"Can you kiss me again?" 

"I'm trying to make you some hot water." 

"I'm warm enough already. Please?" 

Steve kisses you again. This time, he closes his eyes, puts his hand against your jaw. The sound of your lips pressing to his seems loud in the quiet. 

He pulls away with a final peck. "Are you feeling warmer?" 

You blow breath up your face. "Bet so." 

Steve rolls his eyes and turns away to make a campfire in the stolen pot. He'll boil some water in the saucepan for you to hold like a risky hot water bottle, and make some warmed ravioli. It'll be sweet. And tomorrow, if you're feeling better, he'll scavenge for supplies in the neighbourhood. Tonight, he'll burn the kitchen chairs. They don't need them anymore. 

"Settle in," he says, opening his backpack for the fire starters and matches. "We'll stay for a while, okay?" 

"Yeah, okay. Sorry for the fuss." 

"Are you kidding?" He can't look at you. He'll probably cry. "It's cold. You were cold, and we didn't– I knew your coat wasn't good enough but I just thought… well, it's my fault. It is. And I– I care about you so much," —he says it in a rush, true but unused to admitting his feelings to you or anyone— "I can't do this without you. I'll take better care of you, I swear. It won't happen again." 

"You know what would really warm me up?" you ask. 

Steve turns on his heel. "Let me make you something to eat." 

"Not hungry, just cold." 

Steve tamps down a giddy smile into one more respectable. "Let me feel your pulse," he relents, lifting the heavy layer of blankets to climb inside. Its roasting, the warmest he's felt in weeks, and your arm is alive as he slides into your side. 

He puts his hand against your neck, waiting for a steady bump. 

"Am I cured?" you ask. 

Steve sighs in relief. "You're cured." 

You wrap your arms around him. Life with you and in this situation is an endless rise and fall. Something shitty happens, you scrape by, and, as a victory, he gets to hug you in the end. 

"Are you sure you're okay?" Steve asks. 

"You just said I was cured, Steve," you mumble, digging your face into his shoulder. "Just. Stay here. Keep feeling me up." 

"Not what I'm doing." 

[nhlclover]

goodnight n go | quinn hughes

summary: when your best friend begins to act distant you wonder if your harboured feelings have become exposed.

request: yes / no

warnings: angst, cursing

a/n: somewhat based on ‘goodnight n go’ by ariana grande. quinn looks so boyfriend in this gif

word count: 1.7k

It’s been 5 years since you watched your best friend get drafted by Vancouver. It was a dream come true for everyone. You watched from the sidelines as he played at Michigan, setting records for defensemen there, then as he started his professional career.

You’d accepted that you wouldn’t see him during the winter months, and you were okay with it. With you being from out of state, you only really saw Quinn during the summers at the lake house in Michigan.

Over time and the more you and Quinn got older, the more you realized what you once thought was just a schoolyard crush became something more intense.

You decided before the season finished that you were going to finally tell Quinn how you felt. You confided in Jack about your feelings, with the middle Hughes encouraging you to tell his brother how you felt.

However, from the moment he arrived at the lake house, you could tell something was off.

Quinn was quieter than normal. You’d wondered if it was because of the less-than-desirable season the Canucks had. They just barely escaped the bottom ten in the league and had traded away one of their best players. The season had taken a toll on Quinn and you could tell. But you were unsure if that was the whole reason.

Normally he would find solace in you, but you’d barely been able to hold a conversation with Quinn for more than a minute. Nothing seemed to get him to talk to you and you couldn’t figure out why. Part of you wondered if you’d somehow let on about your feelings towards him.

What if Quinn knew you liked him and he didn’t reciprocate the feelings, so he was distancing himself on purpose?

It was driving you nuts not knowing why your best friend wasn’t talking to you. You could barely hold him in a conversation for more than a minute before he would excuse himself, and he would barely acknowledge you in group conversations.

When you tried to ask Quinn if he still wanted to do your annual sunrise swim, something you’d done every year since you were twelve, he told you that he wasn’t really feeling up to it and then locked himself in his room for the next hour.

The entire week was like that. An attempt at conversation on your part was consistently met with a one-word answer and Quinn walking away.

Now you were watching Quinn say goodbye as he was going back to Vancouver early for pre-season.

Quinn hugged his mom and dad, then Jack before turning to you and your family. You watch him shake your father's hand before hugging your mother. He turns to you, seemingly holding his breath.

“I’ll uh… see you around.” He says.

You freeze, caught up in a mixture of confusion, disbelief, anger, and a little bit of embarrassment at the goodbye your best friend gave you.

Quinn picks up his bag, heading out the front door to where Luke is waiting in the car. The eyes of your family and the Hughes were on you. You could only bear to look at Jack, who raised his eyebrows, hinting at you to go after him.

You walk out behind Quinn, watching him walk to Luke’s car waiting in the driveway. “What the fuck?” You scream.

Quinn turns to you, a pained expression on his face. He doesn’t say anything, he just looks at you.

“You come home, it’s my first time seeing you in almost a year after you ghost me for half of it, and then you don’t fucking speak to me the entire time.” You yell. You don’t care if the rest can hear you from inside or if Luke can hear what you’re saying. Every sentiment from the past week is bubbling up inside you now spilling out. “And now you don’t even hug me goodbye? 16 years of friendship and all I get is ‘see you around’?”

Quinn doesn’t offer an immediate reply, instead looking down at his shoes. You storm over, shoving the tall brunette boy by his shoulders. He stumbles backwards, dropping his duffle to the ground. “Y/n.” He says. His tone isn’t angry. It’s soft and almost remorseful.

“Don’t ‘y/n’ me.” You sneer, tears balancing on your bottom lashes. “Talk to me! Say something!”

“I don’t want to do this.” He says, grabbing the bag from the ground. He walks to the car, throwing the bag into the backseat.

“Fine.” You say, defeated. “Walk away. You’re a coward.”

He sighs, looking up at the sky. “Y/n.”

“No fucking go. You clearly don’t want to be friends or whatever the fuck we were so go.” You say, wiping away the tears streaming down your face.

Quinn’s expression changes, his eyebrows furrowing. He opens his mouth to speak, but you cut him off. “No! Just…” Your voice falters. “Go, Quinn. Please.”

He huffs, getting in the passenger seat. You watch Quinn and Luke discuss something quickly before the engine turns on and the car backs out of the driveway.

Your chest heaves with sobs as you run back into the house, past yours and Quinn’s families and up to your childhood bedroom. Walls lined with photos of Quinn and you from when you were in diapers to just last year, sitting by the campfire drinking beers. You let sobs rack your body as memories of your friendship from over the years flood your mind.

A soft knock on the door pauses your cries. The door clicks open and Jack's head pokes in. “Y/n?” He says softly.

You stick your head out from under your comforter, giving Jack a view of your red and puffy eyes, with tear-stained cheeks. He slipped in and shut the door behind him, lying down next to you.

“I’m sorry.” He says. You roll over, curling into his side.

“I just don’t understand.” You say.

“I don’t either, honestly,” Jack says.

“Does he not talk to you?” You asked.

Jack sighs. “It’s Quinn, remember? He doesn’t tell us much.”

Jack looks over at your face before laughing lightly. He grabs a tissue from the box on your side table, handing it to you. “You’ve got mascara and snot all over your face.” He says.

You give his shoulder a light shove, taking the tissue and wiping it around your eyes. Jack gets up from beside you, looking out the window that overlooks the front yard. You toss the tissue in the wastebasket, looking at Jack, who’s got a grin on his face.

“What are you looking at?” You ask him.

“Go downstairs.” He says, closing your curtains.

“What?”

“Go downstairs! Quickly!”

Jack yanks the blankets off you, pulling you up. You look back at Jack as you hear the sound of the front door opening and then clicking shut. He simply grins, shoving you towards the staircase. You walk down the stairs and to the front entrance, where you see Luke taking off his shoes.

“Luke?” You ask. It hasn’t been more than 15 minutes since he and Quinn had gone to the airport, even though the airport’s almost half an hour away.

“He’s outside, please don’t put me in this again.” He says, walking to the living room.

You walk outside seeing Quinn, standing on the walkway. His bag is by his feet, a nervous air surrounding him. “Why are you here?” You ask.

“I couldn’t go.” He says. His eyes are pained but there’s a small smile on his face.

“What?” You asked.

Quinn steps forward, his wide stride stopping him right before you. “I fucked up. Big time, believe me, I know.” He says. “I was so scared to tell you how I felt in fear of ruining this…us. I mean we’re Quinn and y/n. We’re supposed to be best friends till the end, right?”

Quinn’s words confuse you, not understanding where his sudden change of attitude came from or what point he was trying to make.

“What are you saying, Quinn?” You ask.

“I think I’m in love with you.” He says.

Your heart pounds against your rib cage, heat rising to your cheeks. The words you’ve been wanting to hear from your best friend's mouth for years.

“And I don’t even know if you feel the same, but I can’t leave knowing you didn’t know,” Quinn says. “I love you, y/n, and I have for years.”

Your instincts drive you and suddenly your hands are on his face, your lips pressed together. It takes a second for Quinn to recognize what is happening but when he does, his hands are on your sides. His stubble scratches your chin slightly, but you don’t mind. He pulls you into him, deepening the kiss.

You pull back suddenly, stepping out of Quinn’s grasp. “Wait.” You say. “I don’t understand, you have been a dick to me this entire week. Why?”

“I was scared, y/n.” He says. “I’ve had a crush on you since we were sixteen. I thought I was over you, finally, but when I saw you last summer, I realized I was more in love with you than I’d ever been. I didn’t think you felt the same and I didn’t want to ruin our friendship. I was so scared of losing you if you didn’t feel the same, that I just assumed cutting you out of my life was easier.”

“Why would you ever think that was the easiest option?” You ask, throwing your hands up.

“I don’t know! I… I don’t know.” He says, defeated. He hangs his head, looking down at his shoes.

You sigh at Quinn’s mild stupidity. You place a hand under his chin, forcing him to look up at you. His soft eyes are the same as when you were 9 and you had dared Quinn to kiss you, only to run when he tried.

“Not having you in my life is the last thing I ever want to happen. I don’t care if we hate each other's guts. All I need is to have your eyes in my life.” You say.

Quinn scoops you up, holding your body against his. His lips crash into yours, desperate to share your air. Your arms wrap around his neck, your toes just barely touching the ground. You’re tentative and careful, just lightly brushing your lips against his. Quinn leans in further, needing your lips on his.

The living room window being cracked open releases the squeals of your mothers, happy to see the two of you finally realizing what the rest of them realized when you were just kids.

[toasttt11]

my big sister

October 1, 2022

Julianna had on Luke’s Michigan jersey and was sitting by the class ready for the first home game of the season. Emma her best friends sat next to her wearing a Michigan jacket and beanie.

Luca was skating on the ice and he was looking at the stands trying to find his parents when he saw a face he knew. Luca quite literally tripped on the ice barely catching himself from falling, he was so distracted seeing Julianna he wasn’t even paying attention to skating.

Adam who was next to his brother gave him a weird look but shook it off.

Luke smiled seeing his sister and her best friend, he waved happily at her and Julianna smiled fondly and blew a kiss to her little brother.

Michigan won 4-3.

Julianna and Emma walked down the stands and to the outside of the locker room seeing other family members and significant others waiting outside.

Luca’s eyes widen seeing Julianna outside the locker room and realized she had to know someone on the team. Adam and Luca walked over to their parents hugging them tightly.

“Oh! Julia is here i want to introduce you to her!” Adam spotted Julianna and smiled towards him family wanting them to meet his tutor.

“Oh definitely.” Julia smiled wanting to meet the girl that Adam seems to care for.

Adam led them over to Julianna and Luca’s eyes widen dramatically as he realized that Julianna was Julia.

“Juli!” Adam smiled as he called out her name, Julianna’s head snapped over to Adam and she smiled softly and raised a slight eyebrow seeing Luca.

“Hello Adam.” Julianna smiled and warmly accepted his hug, “You must Mrs and Mr Fantilli.” Julianna smiled and held out her hand towards them.

“Just Julia and Giuliano please.” Julia smiled shaking her hand gently, “Adam has told us a lot about you.” Julia and Giuliano have heard a lot about his tutor, “Oh and this is our son-“

“Luca.” Julianna gently cut them off gaining three surprised looks that she didn’t see because she was looking at Luca giving him a small smile, “We have a class together.” Julianna looked back to Adam and his parents.

Luca blushed realizing she knew who he was.

“Annie!” Luke called out to his older sister jogging over to her.

Julianna’s face lite up even more and she was immediately wrapping her arms around Luke as he quickly hugged her. She swayed back and forth with her baby brother who is already taller than her.

She pulled back from the hug cupping his face gently and Luke happily leaning into her touch, “Good game Moosey.” She gave him a soft proud smile and Luke proudly smiled.

Luke looked over and saw Adam and Luca with their parents, “Adam, Luca.” Luke nodded to them both, He knew she was tutoring Adam.

Luca looked between the two and at first he thought maybe they were together but then he saw all of the resemblance between the two and quickly realized, “Are you guys related?” Luca questioned making Adam also turned to the two and look at the two curious.

“She’s my big sister.” Luke proudly told them all wrapping his arm around her shoulder, He narrowed his eyes at Luca seeing him look at his older sister.

Luca paled slighty and realized the girl he has been crushing on for the last month is both his little brother’s tutor and his teammates sister.

[peachhcs]

Does Will tell any of the guys he's realised his mistake??

Or even just that he slept with someone??

i like to think will calls grace first. she gives the best advice when it comes to any of this and then he calls gabe and ryan to talk to them.

"what's up, will?" grace asked as soon as she answered the phone.

"i hooked up with someone," will said immediately which caught grace off guard.

"what?"

"there was this halloween party last night..i think i was a little drunk and i hooked up with this girl," the boy explained, chewing on the bottom of his lip.

"okay. did something happen?" the older girl grew concerned.

"only that i did it because i thought i'd be able to get over samy and i didn't. i only thought about her the entire time," the hockey player's head fell into his hands as he sat on the end of his bed.

"oh. i see," the older blonde was at a bit of a loss with what to say.

"i think i fucked up, grace. i think i really, really fucked up," will frowned deeply as all the feelings he's tried pushing away for months began resurfacing.

"will..you didn't..fuck up. did you make a bad choice on rash thoughts? yeah. you didn't completely fuck up though," grace tried reassuring her brother even though she couldn't quite back his decisions.

"i should've talked to her more. i don't..i don't know what i was thinking. i thought i was letting her go for the better, but anytime i see her anywhere i wish i could call her and everything was how it used to be," now will was crying.

"it's not too late to talk. reach out to her. tell her you wanna talk or something."

"i can't. she blocked me on everything so even if i wanted to talk to her, i physically can't," the younger boy frowned deeply.

"do you want me to mention something?" grace offered softly.

"no, that's gonna make me look stupid. she doesn't wanna talk to me and i don't blame her," a long sigh fell from will's lips.

"look, we all do stupid shit when we're 18. she definitely does wanna talk to you. you guys were best friends once upon a time. that kind of bond doesn't disappear that easily. is there any time soon you'll be out near michigan or something?"

"i don't know. days off are random sometimes and unpredictable," will shrugged even though grace couldn't see him.

"maybe talk to gabe and ryan. they could make something happen. i know they're rooting for you two as much as i am to get back together or at least talk," will knew his older sister had a point. he should talk to gabe and ryan, but then they'd just tell him i told you so and harp on him.

"i don't know. i'll see. i should let you go," will mumbled.

"i'm always here to talk, will. it's gonna work out, i promise," the hockey player really wanted to believe his sister's words and he hoped to god it was true.

—

"wow, look who's calling first," ryan grinned through the screen when the call connected. will rolled his eyes a bit, but smiled when he saw his friends on his computer screen.

"you look like shit," gabe commented upon seeing will's red eyes and puffy cheeks.

"fuck off," the blonde mumbled.

"i'm kidding. it's good to see you. you had a hella game the other night," the dark-haired boy cheered.

"dude, you put those older guys to shame. like you were flying," ryan laughed making will laugh as well.

"thanks, it was pretty cool taking some of the veterans down. they're gonna be after me now."

"yeah, no shit. i think everyone now knows why you decided to sign on so early," gabe grinned.

their compliments had will flushing with pride. he's been working hard to prove himself these last few games and he was glad it was all finally paying off.

"by the way, halloween was so legendary this year. we went to like four different parties," ryan chuckled.

"i bet it's crazy in california," gabe wondered as the topic shifted.

"yeah, it is pretty crazy out here. so crazy i even hooked up with someone.." will began which had gabe and ryan's eyebrows raising.

"wait, you hooked up with someone? who?"

"uh..i don't really know her name, but i think..i think i regret it. i thought it would like..help me realize breaking up with samy was the right choice, but it didn't. i just thought about her the entire time.." will felt almost ashamed admitting this to his friends.

"oh."

"you're gonna tell me i told you so, but i know i fucked up now. i..i shouldn't have broken up with samy. i thought it would be better for both of us, but i just really miss her and i wish i could talk to her or something," the blonde frowned.

"you're saying this now? six months after the fact?" gabe raised his eyebrows.

"oh come on, give me a break. i was stupid, i know. i finally realize that now. i don't know what to do," upon seeing their friend's face, gabe and ryan saw how torn up will was about everything. they knew he really regretted everything that happened.

"i just don't get why you didn't talk to her more about this before you even decided to break up? you know she would've talked with you about whatever you were worried about," ryan said.

"it was a bad decision during very rash thoughts. i was overwhelmed and a mess back in may. i got scared and pushed her away like i do to everything. you guys don't need to tell me how much i fucked up. i know already," will huffed.

the three fell silent for a moment. will pulled a hand through his hair while gabe and ryan spoke with their eyes.

"a few of us are going to michigan over winter break to samy's lake house. if you can find some free time, you should come out. i think samy would like to see you. you two can finally talk maybe," gabe finally said.

"i'll think about it," will nodded. could he actually fly out to michigan and see samy after not speaking to her or seeing her for eight months though? the idea sent will's head spinning and not in a good way.

[starry-hughes]

playing in the snow (jack hughes)

day 6 of star’s ficmas event!

single dad!jack au (jack hughes x reader)

Paisley’s first Christmas and a late Hanukkah were spent in Michigan. Jack wanted her to spend the holidays in Michigan with his family. The three day break from games for Christmas were exciting. You had met everyone in the Hughes family but you hadn’t gotten to experience the holidays with the family. 

The flight into Ann Arbor was nice, especially since Paisley slept through most of it. “It’s snowing,” you commented to yourself as you looked out the window. “Paisley’s first Christmas and it’s a white Christmas,” Jack beamed. 

He was a good dad, hiring you as a nanny when he needed help and her mom left before Paisley was even brought home from the hospital. Jack didn’t exactly plan to fall in love with you but the constant time together, raising his daughter together, it was a recipe to falling in love. 

Luke carried the diaper bag as you carried Paisley. Jack rolled your suitcase along with his. Quinn was getting in at the same time from Vancouver and was excited to help with Paisley on the car ride to the Hughes’ household. 

You weren’t expecting to find a stocking for yourself on the fireplace. It was filled with candy like the ones for the boys and small gifts. “Jack,” you gritted, “you said your parents weren’t getting me anything.” He grinned, “I lied.” You didn’t mind gifts, you just felt bad that you hadn’t bought anything for them. 

“This is the most snow all December,” Ellen commented. The two of you were finishing up the wrapping of Paisley’s gifts. Jack entered the living room with a bundle in his arms. “Look! She fits Lukey’s old baby snowsuit!” He was dressed for the snow, jacket on, a hat and gloves ready. “(Y/N) go get your coat on, Paisley needs to experience her first snow!” Jack instructed. 

Within minutes, you were dressed for the snow, wishing you could stay inside with Ellen, somewhere warm. But you were in the yard, attempting to get Paisley accumulated to the snow. Luke had built her a small snowman and Quinn had showed her a snowball. She was simply not amused. 

“Here bub,” you offered to let her touch a handful of snow in your hand. “Quinn, throw the snowball at Luke,” you said after Paisley got bored at nervously poking at the snow. “Hey!” Luke shouted before he was hit with the snowball in his chest. A giggle broke out from Paisley. 

Jack smiled widely, all he wanted was this moment. Paisley and you sitting in the snow, playing and watching him and his brothers mess around. After a while, Jack plopped himself next to you and Paisley. “Let’s make a snow angel with her,” you said. Ellen took lots of pictures before calling everyone inside. 

Everyone had rosy cheeks from the cold and Paisley was being carried around, tucked under Jack’s hoodie he had cut specifically for moments like these, when she wanted to get extra warmth. “I don’t think she liked the snow too much,” you laughed as she happily stuck her pacifier into her mouth. “No, but that’s okay, maybe she will like skating in a year or two,” Jack smiled. 

[trashyreptilian]

Another reference sheet done. This one took way longer than expected lmao,,

Reblogs are appreciated! :3

===============================================

Biography (long read):

-General Info-

Full Name: Him Age: Ageless (Formed in 1975.) Height: 8'0'' ft Gender: Male Sex: Sexless Species: Wrath simulacrum (Inceptor) Homeplace: Huntstrail, Michigan (US) Romantic/Sexual Orientation: Biromantic Asexual

-Other Info-

Personality?: Him is looked down upon by its own species, and had earned himself the status of an outcast during its earlier years. This is why he typically tries avoiding other simulacrums. However, due to its past connection with an underground brawl ring, sometimes it gets entangled into fights. Whether they're started by others, or by it desperately seeking relief from its own mind, trouble follows it either way. His hostile attitude doesn't make it better. One would expect it to display this kind of violence upon humanity, instead of fellow demons. But Him's uncaring on the matter, reasoning that it's acting in self-defense and showing some justice for all the human lives its kind take away. It evidently feels far more sympathy for humans, aware of how fragile and complex they are. He has a fascination in their way of living and thinking. Even gained a lot of knowledge about their history and other topics in his own free time. With its closest relationship being with a human, the odd fondness is no surprise. Although having poor management of negative emotions, it represses them for the few he cares for. It can't bear to unload its burden onto anyone. Him tends to be just cold in general, but when comfortable he's willing to show his much nicer and curious side. It knows how to be gentle. When it feels an attachment to someone, he'll display genuine gestures of care and will be willing to spend time with them if asked.

Thinks Before Acting?: In a neutral state, sure. Unfortunately, that might fly right out the window once it's starting to become agitated. Pure blinding rage can easily take a hold of it. Making it impulsively lash out or spew out some truly heinous words, that it may or may not regret later.

Positive Traits?: Selfless, inquisitive, caring, persistent, attentive and loyal.

Negative Traits?: Impatient, self-loathing, aggressive, over-protective, stubborn and vindictive.

Way Of Speaking?: Only speaks fluent English and has no noticeable accent in its speech. His voice is low and gravelly, and usually stays at a calm tone. Which makes him more intimidating when talking, without ever having to raise its volume. But when he does, it steadily sounds more demonic. With inhumane growling interrupting its words while trying to talk. (Headcanon voice: https://youtu.be/cFHCt0eE3P0?t=5460)

Occupation?: Doesn't have a profession to uphold. He'd rather steal cash and goods if absolutely needed. Neither does it have any simulacrum tasks, duties, or anything else alike. Since he's trying to maintain self-isolation from his community. Though unless, you consider being the surrogate father and only caretaker of a young adult, a job by itself. Then yes, it still has his hands full with parental responsibilities.

Powers/Skills?: His species have unique powers and abilities. Though, what kind varies. It doesn't just depend on what stage they're at, but which sin they have too. Simulacrums are also far more biologically advanced than humans. So besides excluding most biological traits in this section. Here are all the noteworthy powers to mention. Within biological traits; aura detection and night-vision. Can tell what species someone is by naturally feeling their aura, the other one lets him see crystal clear in the dark. Within evolutionary abilities; body alteration, it can twist and contort his body in whichever way wanted. That's truly useful when under high negative emotions, as he'll morph into something that gives him a more uncanny and beastly-like look. Surface adhesion, free to walk or sit on walls and ceilings without the risk of falling. Personal matter manipulation, power to manipulate the entirety of its own being into a different state of matter. Either black smoke, or black liquid. It's a perfect way to flee and to get in through somewhere without notice. While in use, he's still fully sentient and is even able to talk. But the voice will be much quieter, less comprehensive. When materialized, he can also alter his overall shape and volume. Within sin-based abilities; primal strength. Simulacrums are already much stronger than humans. Now just times that typical strength for a wrathian by at least 10 and maybe more. Him always uses his teeth in combat the most. As he possesses two sets of uneven sharp teeth, one appearing up front, the other at the back of the first set. The only kind of drawback is that in some instances, it may go overboard and reach an animalistic state of mind. Kinda like a severe rush or high. But for someone who's experienced, like it, he manages to use this as a deadly advantage. Heightened senses, perception of external stimuli is very strong. His sight, smell and hearing are way more sensitive. But one sense that's particularly strong for him, is smell. If there's any kind of scent to fixate, he can track it down. At times, he's capable of visualizing a clear line of smell.

Hobbies?: Most beloved pastime of his is reading books, there's nearly nothing topping that. Soon in its first week of living, it quickly grew a passionate fascination for human literature. Since then it's been near impossible to see it without a book in its hands. Favorite genres are history and biology, texts that explore factual knowledge are its typical go-to. Given the chance, it'll go on a lengthy monologue about a random topic it happened to read recently. Happens to like board games too, which is mostly influenced by his son, Alfred. Though, it prefers simple card games as they cause less frustration. One hobby that might be a bit unexpected. Would be teaching his pet cat tricks. Some context. An unusual fixation it developed, was for felines. Whether it's big wild ones or tiny domesticated ones, he loves them all. Due to certain circumstances, it couldn't get its hands on a cat for a long time. When finally given one, it didn't take long to get attached. He soon started basic behavior training but later moved on with teaching tricks. And it continues to do so. He also likes to roam around random areas of his city. While it'd rather spend time inside, like a stay-at-home dad, it won't shy away from exploring. But he's very careful to not get caught by anyone. It'll hide and observe from a distance, usually people-watching. Arguably only one pastime surpasses reading, and that's spending time with his son. While he does ask at times, it prefers letting Alfred offer his time when he can. So far, it has rarely refused anything he's offered. Even if it felt like it needed to.

Habits?: Frequently smokes, nearly every day. Sounds bad at first but since he's a demon, there are no consequences. He likes the "feel" of it, and unironically loves the bad smell. When experiencing really bad stress, anxiety or annoyance, it roughly bites at its own skin. More precisely, usually his hands or arms. It clings onto the skin, letting his teeth sink in deep. There's been moments where it almost bit off a finger. However, the worst tendency it has is the way he handles negative emotions. It often chooses to bottle everything up, and deal with his problems alone. It'll lie or change the subject when anyone brings up its issues. In return, this creates a sort of vicious cycle where it bottles up its feelings, refuses to handle them in a healthy manner, violent conflicts ensue against random simulacrums to calm itself, and then later acts as if nothing's happened, pretending to be moving on.

Relationships? (Simplified): Its closest relationship is with a human, Alfred Thorn. It has known them for nearly their whole life, first interaction happened when he was 1 years old. Though, the original purpose of it even being around the little Thorn family was much sinister. It was there to replace his human target, Alfred's actual biological father. Replace them in a rather dark, literal sense. But due to it stalling its own progress, the target in question had abandoned the family when Alfred was 3. And before he could even notice the demon secretly living in their house. It had two choices; hunt the target down, or stay where he was for the young boy. A simulacrum wouldn't even entertain the second option, but Him grew attached to the child. Feeling a strange protective instinct just towards him, despite the confusion at his own unnatural feelings. From that point on, it decided to take the role of a father figure. Learning how to take care of a human child. During the early years, it was very conflicted with its own actions. Questioning if what it did was right, or moral. He eventually came to terms and stuck by with its decision. Interacting with a human has pretty much influenced the way it thinks. Nowhere near a perfect parent, but clearly loves Alfred and is overprotective of them. He has given it a sense of purpose for its existence, it greatly values that. Even the name "Him" he gave it, was kept. One thing it struggles the most with him, is opening up emotionally. Mostly because of his own personal struggles. Naturally, his tendency to bottle things up had rubbed off onto his own son. Yet despite it, they've formed a strong familial bond and friendship. Both are secretive of this relationship, for rather obvious reasons. They now live together as outcasts. Trying to make the best out of their lives while living in a small crummy apartment.

There's another human he's familiar with, Simon Belrose. Them and Alfred are very close friends, at some point he should have met Him. Even if it was never planned to happen. Their first encounter was rather terrible due to unfortunate circumstances. In which Simon didn't exactly see Him in its friendliest state, even though the aggression wasn't directed towards him. To say the poor guy was shocked to find out that his closest friend had been raised by some kind of demon, would be a huge understatement. It took a while for either of them to talk with one another. Him allowed Simon to approach it at his own pace, and remained avoidant whenever they happened to be in the same room. The last thing it wanted was to scare them more than he already did. Once they actually managed to strike up a conversation, things steadily got easier as Simon felt comfortable being around it. Both were able to strike up a basis for friendship with their common admiration for literature. Simon slowly introduced it to the fantasy genre, then moved over to Broadway musicals and everything else related to theater. As time flies, getting to know each other better, doing activities together. Simon sees Him as a supportive uncle figure. And it; views and treats them like he was just another kid of his.

Moving onto otherworldly beings. Xanthan, a theraangel, is someone Him was unaware of up until Alfred introduced them. It had absolutely no idea his son had been talking to this stranger in secret. Thing of note; as a simulacrum, it had believed that angels were long extinct because of the Overlord's indoctrination. Their first meeting also went terribly to put it simply. It had started awkwardly, then nearly ended in a physical fight if not for Alfred standing in between the two entities. Once they could manage a somewhat level-headed talk, Him was skeptical at the suggested idea of redemption. The angel insisted since its fatherly-like relationship with a human made it a fit candidate. Its hostile attitude was held back from getting worse by Alfred's insistence to trust the stranger. Through some arguing, it agreed to try the whole redemption thing. But only in exchange for Xanthan's proposed guardianship over Alfred, becoming his guardian angel. After that, they remain barely tolerant of one another. At a much later point, they feel more respect for each other. Him begins to admire Xanthan's way of fighting, and gradually grows interested in his past as a former envy simulacrum. Thanks to that, a friendship finally forms. As they both continue to bond, and feel genuine care for the other. The unexpected closeness they develop, makes its feelings complicated to its confusion. And at a further date, when Xanthan confesses his romantic love for it, just makes him even more confused. It doesn't give a proper answer to his confession, instead asks for some time to think it over. With Alfred's help and encouragement, Him reciprocates Xanthan's feelings. Kickstarting its first romantic bond.

Mentioning enemies. It doesn't have any troubles with humans, at least it seems like so currently. In the past, it had some violent thoughts about Alfred's biological mother. Whom was a relapsing alcoholic, and targeted her abuse only onto Alfred. But since moving away from the house, and into an apartment with his son. Neither have given her as much thought anymore, at least they try not to. Other simulacrums typically fall onto this term, mostly the ones Him has had fights with. Only the ones who survived the first time anyway. There's no particular rivalry with anyone. Yet one figure will cause trouble in the future, a simulacrum who perfectly contrasts Him in every way. A sort of walking reflection of everything it could have been if not for its empathy towards humanity. Another fairly important simulacrum to mention would be a fellow wrath simulacrum (specula). It's someone Him had working relations with, tying back to its past with an underground brawl ring. They had a little friendship going on, until certain events escalated and had to cut ties. Him is entirely silent about them, not even his son knows of them. They've only ever seen each other by accident, maintaining a frenemies vibe when briefly talking. Lastly, Lucifer. The Overlord, its creator. Him's disobedience wasn't looked over. The way it delayed taking out its target was one thing. But what really got it under their radar were the rumors spreading around that it had begun to care of a human child. Lucifer confronted Him merely once. Making it crystal clear that its actions were immoral, and if it caused any major fight back against their plans, they'd take care of it immediately. Since then, neither have come face-to-face again. What they said, ingrained into Him's psyche. While it's no longer loyal to them, no less it still fears what the Overlord’s truly capable of.

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General rules for all of my FCs and OCs:

-While I'm fine with getting inspired by my work, please do not just steal the designs. -I am uncomfortable with my characters being unknowingly shipped with other people's characters. -Fanart is all well, great and welcomed! As long as it isn't sexual. I'm fine with gore but please, keep my characters away from your own sexual material.

[joeyalohadream]

I just read The Boy Next Door yesterday and I’m in love with it. 😍 So I wonder if you’d be inspired to write something from that? Maybe them having ice cream on a date? Doesn’t have to be that au either, could be them after the war, anything with them having ice cream! 🍦🤭

Hi! Thanks for the prompt! I LOVE ice cream!

I'm ashamed of how slow The Boy Next Door is going, but I haven't given up on it! This helped me remember why I started that one in the first place.

Here's a little first date fic from that AU. It'll probably change a bit by the time I get to this point in the story, but this was fun to write!

Word Count: 2,146

Bucky can’t keep the smile off of his face as he walks back to where he’d parked Gale in the shade of the large maple tree at the edge of the park. As far as first dates go, Bucky feels like he’s done well. After a scenic walk through town to share the best spots with Gale, a barefoot walk on the shore of Lake Michigan to cool off and a trip through the marina to show Gale the yachts he works on, he’d decided to end it here at the lakeside park where he’d spent a lot of time in his younger years.

It hadn’t taken long for Bucky to learn that Gale has a wicked sweet tooth, and he was looking forward to watching him enjoy the ice cream cone currently dripping down his fingers.

“Surprise,” Bucky held out one of his hands to Gale, offering the treat to him with a grin.

Gale’s eyebrows raise fractionally before a small smile forms as he takes the cone from Bucky’s grasp. Bucky plops down into the grass next to him, grabs his spoon and takes a bite from the bowl he’d gotten himself.

“Cookies and cream?” Gale takes a lick of ice cream and his smile grows a bit.

“I had to guess,” Bucky shrugs, trying hard not to stare at Gale’s mouth as he licks the dessert. “We haven’t even gotten to the “what’s you favor color?” stage of our date yet, so I was going in blind on ice cream flavors too.”

“Well, you guessed right, Bucky,” Gale turned that smile on him.

“Really? That’s your favorite flavor?” Excitement coloring his tone.

“It’s a tie actually,” Gale paused, expression thoughtful. “Between this and cookie dough. I could really go either way.”

 Bucky chuckled and took another bite of his own ice cream. He looked out over the park for a moment, taking in the busy playground, the soccer game he’d probably be joining under different circumstances, the joggers at the opposite edge on the bike path. But then he turned his body to sit cross-legged facing Gale. No need for people watching when he had the most interesting person to watch within arm’s reach.

“What flavor did you get?” Gale asked him, eyeing his bowl.

“Vanilla,” Bucky tipped his bowl to show him the contents and laughed at the judgmental look that had formed on the other man’s face. “What? It’s a classic!”

“It’s boring,” Gale corrected seriously.

“I like it,” Bucky defended. “I’m not big on sweets, so this is just enough for me.”

Gale looked offended and it only made Bucky grin more.

“Why’d you want to get ice cream if you don’t like sweets?”

“’Cause you like ice cream and I like you,” Bucky winked at him, watching the smaller man duck his head to hide his smile.

“You’re sweet,” Gale said softly, looking up at Bucky.

“For you,” Bucky grinned.

They continued to eat their ice cream, the silence between them comfortable. Gale watched the people and Bucky watched Gale, feeling content and happy and warm inside.

“You feeling better?” Bucky eyed the other man. His face wasn’t as flushed as it had been when they’d left the marina and he seemed to be more at ease now. The worry he’d felt earlier when Gale had swayed a bit, face flushing beet red for a moment had caught him off guard in its intensity. Seems the soft spot he’s had for Gale since the moment he saw him coaxing a stray cat to him in a parking lot had grown much larger in the weeks that had followed.

“I feel fine, Bucky,” Gale avoided his gaze, one hand fiddling with the grass, one still gripping the cone. “Felt fine before too, we could’ve stayed at the marina longer.”

“You were over-heating Buck,” Bucky nudged him with his foot, succeeding in bringing those blue eyes back to him. “Thought you were gonna keel over for a second.”

“I should’ve brought water,” Gale shrugged. “The ice cream cured me, I’m good.”

Bucky narrowed his eyes at him, trying to find a lie until Gale sighed and rolled his eyes at him.

“I promise,” Gale held his gaze, blue eyes open and honest and Bucky smiled, satisfied.

“Alright, but I’m buying you some water before we walk back home,” Bucky informed him.

“I’m capable of buying my own water,” Gale said, shaking his head. “You bought the ice cream.”

“I asked you out on a date,” Bucky reminded him. “You’re not paying for anything today.” He could see an argument forming in Gale’s expression, so he held his hand up and continued. “When you ask me out for our second date, you can buy me whatever you want.”

The fight leaves Gale in an instant, surprise taking over his features, much to Bucky’s confusion.

“You want to go out with me again?” Gale asked.

Bucky gapes at the younger man, wanting to laugh at the ridiculousness of the question. But he noticed that Gale was sitting stiff, still looking at him with that question in his eyes. Hope too, Bucky thinks, and it makes his heart beat a little faster. How can someone so sweet, so kind have a such shit self-esteem? This man has no idea how gone on him Bucky already is.

“’Course I do, Buck,” Bucky gives him a smile. “I had at least ten dates planned out before you even agreed to one.”

Bucky takes in the charming flush that spreads across the apples of Gale’s cheeks before he ducks his head again and bites into the waffle cone in his hand.

“Okay,” Gale looks at him with a new light in his eyes. “I’ve got some good ones in mind too.”

“Looking forward to it.”

Gale polishes off his cone, and Bucky sets his bowl aside, still half full but he’s had enough of the sweet treat.

“What’s your favorite color?”

The question makes Bucky laugh.

“Blue,” he tells him. “Yours?”

“Orange,” Gale offers back. “Like a pumpkin, not like a traffic cone.”

Bucky grins, filing the information away for the future. Adding it into the little box in his mind that contains everything he’s already learned about Gale. He hopes he’ll need a bigger box; hopes he’ll get to learn it all.

“Okay, let’s get to nitty gritty stuff.”

Gale looks wary and it makes Bucky’s grin widen. His cheeks are starting to hurt from how much he’s smiled today.

“What’s your favorite pizza topping?”

“Well, now that’s too much, too fast,” Gale shakes his head, tone serious despite the mirth Bucky can see in his eyes. “A man’s entitled to his secrets.”

“Alright,” Bucky laughs. “I’ll save that one for the third date.”

“Sounds fair,” Gale huffs a quiet laugh, covering it with his hand and making Bucky melt a little in the process.

Bucky glances at his watch and sighs internally. Gale’s shift starts in two hours, and it’ll take them the better part of an hour to walk back to their apartment building.

“We should probably start heading back,” Bucky says, tone regretful. “Don’t want you to be late for work tonight.”

Gale glances at his own watch, eyes widening a bit before he nods.

“The day kinda flew by,” Gale says, smiling at Bucky. “I had fun.”

Bucky gets to his feet, grabbing his trash in one hand, reaching his other down to Gale to help him to his feet. He pulls the smaller man up and tries not to feel too disappointed when Gale lets go of his hand immediately to start brushing the grass from his pants.

“Me too,” Bucky tells him honestly. “I always have fun with you.”

The smile Gale gives him is small, but he looks happy, and Bucky is determined to make him smile as many times as possible every day from now until Gale gets sick of him.

They make their way through the grass to the paved path and Bucky shoots his ice cream bowl into a garbage can like a free throw, gives himself a victory whoop when he makes it, and relishes in the way Gale laughs at him.

Another comfortable silence falls between them as they make their way out of the park and onto the sidewalk. Bucky sees Gale glance his way a few times so he turns his head to look at him and smiles when he catches him staring.

“What?”

“Nothing,” Gale shakes his head. “Just – .”

His sentence trails off and Bucky watches as some kind of internal debate plays out behind Gale’s eyes. He’s about to check-in with him, make sure everything is alright when his hand is grabbed and then held in a loose grip. Gale isn’t looking at him anymore, watching the pavement now, but Bucky can see that his cheeks have bloomed red again and he really is the sweetest man Bucky’s ever met. His heart is fluttering away in chest because Gale is holding his hand, and this might be the best day of Bucky’s life.

Bucky turns his hand in Gale’s grasp, adjusting his grip so that he can interlock their fingers and gives the smaller hand in his a squeeze once they’re comfortably linked.

“Sorry my hand is so sweaty,” Gale apologizes, looking sheepish. Bucky squeezes his hand again and laughs.

“Mine is too, Buck.”

Gale squeezes his hand back and they continue their walk back. They chat about odd customers Gale had at work last night, the baseball game Bucky is going to be watching tonight for his podcast, Curt and Ken’s latest antics. Hands entwined and swaying gently between them the entire time.

When they get back to the apartment they take the elevator up, the air conditioning feeling like bliss after being out in the summer heat for hours. He takes in Gale’s sweaty face and feels awful for a moment as a thought hits him.

“Shit,” he breathes out as reaches out with his free hand and brushes the sweaty bangs off Gale’s forehead, not missing the way the smaller man’s breath hitches a bit at the intimate contact. “I forgot to get you a bottle of water.”

Gale smiles at him and rolls his eyes just as the elevator door opens. He tugs Bucky’s hand and pulls him into the hallway and a moment later, they’re at Gale’s door and Bucky wishes the walk had been longer.

“Told you I’m fine, Bucky,” Gale tells him. “Stop fussin’, I’ll drink some water before I go to work.”

“That kitchen is going to be ninety degrees, make sure you drink water at work too.”

The look Gale gives him makes Bucky raise a hand in surrender.

“And I’ll stop fussin’ now.”

“Thanks for today,” Gale rocks back on his heels as he says it. “I’m really glad we did this.”

Bucky squeezes his hand one more time before letting him go. He misses his sweaty palm immediately.

“Me too. And the answers yes to whatever you want to do for our second date. So don’t get nervous and over think it. This is me already agreeing to it.”

Gale huffs out a laugh.

“Noted,” Gale says around his smile. He looks up at Bucky for a moment before he leans forward and Bucky’s heart skips in his chest. Soft, warm lips press against his cheek for a brief moment and Bucky can’t keep the dopey grin off his face. He reaches up and pinches Gale’s chin between his thumb and index finger, then lets his hand fall.

“Have fun at work, Buck.”

“See you later, John.”

As Gale goes to open his door, Bucky sighs and turns to head back to the elevator. He’s already got a shopping list growing in his head: Gatorade, cookie dough ice cream, cookies and cream ice cream, waffle cones, cake cones, etc. Gale’s voice stops his steps right before he reaches the elevator doors.

“Where are you going?”

“Grocery store run,” Bucky pushes the down arrow and turns to meet Gale’s amused expression.

“What’d you come all the way up here for then?”

“I wanted to walk you to your door,” he says with a shrug and a smile.

Gale smiles back at him, and Bucky thinks he looks fond. The elevator dings and opens behind him.

“You’re ridiculous.”  

He gets into the lift and presses the ground floor button.

“I wanted to hold your hand for as long as I could,” he shouts down the hall as the elevator door closes. He didn’t get to see Gale’s reaction to that, but he’s willing to bet he’d made him blush again. The thought makes him smile.

He leans back against the cool metal wall, relishing the air conditioning and contemplates the odds that he can convince Gale to join him on the balcony after work tonight for another ice cream cone.