NHL & Umich fics

Ice Cream~J.H

Jack Hughes x daughter!reader

Where luke takes y/n to go get ice cream when Jack cancels on her to go out with a fling (very angst)

Tonight, Y/N was bubbling with excitement. Jack had promised to take her to the park and for ice cream afterward. She had been counting down the days, telling all her preschool friends about her special night out with her dad.

"Uncle Lukey, Dada's taking me out today!" Y/N had exclaimed earlier that morning, jumping up and down in her little jersey.

Luke smiled, ruffling her hair. "That's awesome, Y/N. You guys are gonna have so much fun."

But as the evening crept closer, Jack's plans started to shift. A text pinged on his phone, and it was from a girl he'd been seeing casually—a fling, nothing serious. She suggested meeting up that night, and Jack, caught up in his feelings began to reconsider his plans with Y/N.

"She won't mind," he told himself, ignoring the nagging feeling in his chest. "We'll just go to the park tomorrow."

He shot a quick text to Luke, asking him to take Y/N out instead, and then hurriedly got ready for his night out.

Luke read the message, his brow furrowing. Jack was bailing on Y/N again, and Luke knew how much his niece had been looking forward to this. He glanced over at Y/N, who was sitting on the couch, swinging her legs in anticipation, clutching her favorite stuffed animal.

"Y/N," Luke said softly, kneeling in front of her. "Dada can't make it tonight. He's... busy. But I'll take you out for ice cream, okay?"

Her little face fell, and her eyes filled with tears. "Does Dada not love me anymore?" she asked, her voice trembling. The question pierced through Luke's heart like a blade. He pulled her into a hug.

"Of course he loves you, Y/N. Dada's just... confused sometimes. But I'm here, and I love you. Let's go get the biggest ice cream ever, okay?"

Y/N nodded, sniffling as she wiped her tears. Luke took her by the hand, determined to make the best of the evening, even if his heart ached for his niece. They drove to the ice cream parlor, and by the time they were sharing a double-scoop sundae, Y/N's sadness had mostly melted away.

But Luke couldn't shake the anger building inside him. Jack had crossed a line, and someone needed to call him out on it.

Later that night, when Jack came home, Luke was waiting for him in the living room. Jack was still in a carefree mood, oblivious to the damage he had caused. But Luke wasn't going to let him off so easily.

"What's up, bro?" Jack asked, tossing his keys on the counter.

Luke didn't mince words. "Y/N cried tonight. You know why? Because you canceled on her. She sat there, waiting for you, excited for hours, and you just bailed on her to go out with some random girl."

Jack's face fell as the gravity of his actions sank in. "I didn't think—"

"No, you didn't," Luke snapped. "And you're not thinking about her. She asked me if you still loved her, Jack. Do you even get how messed up that is? She's four, and she's already questioning if her dad cares about her."

Jack sat down, running his hands through his hair. "I love her, Lukey. I do."

"Then start acting like it. You're her dad, Jack. She looks up to you more than anyone. You can't keep letting her down."

The weight of Luke's words hung in the air. Jack felt a knot form in his stomach. He had been so caught up in the whirlwind of his personal life that he hadn't realized how deeply his actions were affecting his daughter.

"I'll fix this," Jack said quietly, guilt weighing heavily on his shoulders.

"You'd better," Luke replied, his voice softer now. "Because she deserves better."