Dear Roommate Please Stop Being Hot [BL]-Chapter 240: Tonight, We Talk

The bathroom door opened with a soft click, and Noel stepped out, steam curling around his ankles like mist drifting from a forest.

His hair was damp, the ends dripping lightly onto the towel he was rubbing through it.

He scanned the room once—instinctively—and his eyes landed on Luca.

Luca was sitting on the couch, elbows on his knees, fingers idly stroking the cat who had sprawled beside him.

He looked up the second Noel appeared.

"I’m done," Noel said, voice low, warm from the shower. "Go ahead."

Luca nodded. "Okay."

They shared a brief look—quiet, heavy but gentle—before Luca stood and brushed past him toward the bathroom.

Their shoulders didn’t touch, but the nearness sparked a small flicker in Noel’s chest anyway.

The door closed behind Luca.

Noel exhaled.

The apartment was too still.

Too full of the things he wasn’t saying yet.

Too full of what he had to say when Luca came back out.

He set the towel on the counter and rolled up his sleeves.

They hadn’t eaten.

They’d come home straight into talking, into tension, into truths.

And now Luca was showering on an empty stomach.

Noel opened the cupboard, pulled out the pot, turned on the stove.

Just something simple—noodles, broth, a few eggs, the little bits of vegetables left in the fridge.

It wasn’t fancy. But it was care disguised as dinner.

As the water heated, Noel worked quietly, movements soft, practiced. Cut. Drop. Stir.

The warm smell began to fill the kitchen, chasing the day’s heaviness out of the corners of the apartment.

He paused once, glancing toward the closed bathroom door.

Steam still drifted out from the cracks at the bottom.

Another minute, maybe two.

He timed himself.

He wanted it to be ready the moment Luca stepped out.

Noel cracked an egg gently over the pot, letting it swirl into the broth.

The noodles softened, curling in the steam, each bubble lifting a little more warmth into the room.

The apartment felt lived in again.

Like home again. Like both of them were trying, even if neither could say it outright.

The cat hopped onto a chair, watching Noel with half-lidded interest.

"You ate didn’t you,?" Noel muttered, giving him a pointed look.

The cat blinked slowly, unbothered.

Noel laughed under his breath—quiet, fond—then stirred the pot one last time.

The bathroom door unlocked.

Noel straightened just as Luca stepped out, damp hair falling over his forehead, wearing one of Noel’s older shirts because he’d forgotten to bring his own into the bathroom again.

His eyes lifted. They met Noel’s.

And the smell of warm noodles drifted between them.

Noel said softly, almost shyly, "Dinner’s almost ready."

Luca’s expression softened—slow, aching, grateful. "Smells good," he murmured.

And for the first time that night, the space between them felt warmer.

Safer. Almost like forgiveness waiting to happen.

Noel ladled the noodles into two bowls, the steam rising in soft ribbons.

He placed them on the table, simple but inviting, the kind of meal made with hands that cared even when the heart was tired.

"Come," Noel said, settling into his chair.

Luca sat across from him, still towel-damp, hair dripping onto his collar.

He picked up the spoon without a word, but his eyes lingered on Noel before he took the first bite.

The warmth hit him immediately—comforting, familiar.

He exhaled through his nose, almost relieved. "It’s good," Luca murmured.

Noel’s lips curved, barely. "Eat more."

The cat wound around Luca’s ankle, purring like he was part of the conversation.

Luca nudged him gently with his foot. "Hey, I just fed you," he whispered.

Noel’s gaze lifted. "So you did feed him."

Luca blinked. "Yeah... he came to me while you were showering."

That small thread of domesticity—of routine, of shared space—pulled something quiet and tender between them.

Noel didn’t comment on it, but his eyelids lowered slightly, the kind of softness he rarely let anyone see.

They ate in silence, but it wasn’t the cold silence of earlier. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

It was heavy with things unspoken but not hostile—more like two people holding something delicate between them, not knowing how to touch it yet.

Halfway through his bowl, Luca paused, spoon hovering.

He looked up, studying Noel carefully—like he was memorizing him, or bracing himself.

"You cooked this fast," Luca said, softer now.

"I wanted you to eat something warm," Noel replied, stirring absently. "You didn’t have lunch, right?"

Luca’s eyes widened a fraction. "You noticed?"

"I always notice," Noel said.

The words slipped out before he could stop them.

But he didn’t take them back.

And Luca... he heard it. All of it.

He swallowed, the air shifting, charged with something tender and a little painful.

"Thank you," Luca said quietly. "Really."

Noel nodded once, returning to his food, but his fingers tightened slightly around his spoon—like the gratitude had brushed a nerve he was trying not to expose.

When they finished, Noel reached for the bowls. "I’ll wash," he said.

But Luca stood too quickly. "No, I’ll do it. You should rest. Or finish the rest of the packing."

Noel exhaled slowly.

The truth of tomorrow slid back between them like a cold draft.

He stepped back, giving Luca space. "Alright," he said softly. "Thank you."

Luca took the bowls to the sink.

The sound of running water filled the kitchen—gentle, steady.

Noel leaned back against the table, watching him with a quiet tightness around his eyes.

He looked like he wanted to reach out, to say something, to stop time—but didn’t know how.

And Luca, standing over the sink, hands in the warm water, shoulders tense under the kitchen light, looked like a man trying not to break in front of someone he loved too much.

When Luca finally turned back around, drying his hands on a towel, Noel straightened.

Their eyes met.

The whole apartment felt like it stalled on that one breath.

"Luca," Noel said softly, voice dipping.

"Yeah?" Luca answered, barely above a whisper.

Noel took one small step closer. "We should talk."

And Luca nodded—slow, bracing, his heart already racing. "Yeah," he said again. "We should."

They moved to the couch without speaking, almost instinctively, like their bodies already knew where the conversation needed to happen.

Luca sat first. Noel joined him, not too close, not too far—a careful distance that felt more painful than comfort.

The cat hopped up onto the armrest, quiet, watching like he knew something fragile was happening.

Noel rubbed his palms against his jeans once, grounding himself.

Then he looked at Luca. Really looked.

His voice came out steady, but the tension under it was impossible to miss.

"Luca... I’m sorry about yesterday," Noel began. "I should’ve talked to you. I should’ve told you what happened in that office with Max."

Luca’s throat tightened, but he nodded. "It’s... okay."

"It’s not." Noel’s tone sharpened—not angry, firm. "You looked hurt. You looked like you were trying so hard not to be."

Luca’s eyes flickered away. He didn’t deny it.

Noel leaned forward slightly, elbows on his knees. "I didn’t expect Max to say any of that. I wasn’t prepared. And I didn’t want you to think... anything."

Luca inhaled slowly....a shaky, careful breath. "I didn’t think anything."

But Noel gave him a look....soft, knowing, cutting through him. "Luca," he said quietly, "don’t lie to me."

Luca froze.

Noel slid one hand onto the couch between them—not touching him, but close enough that Luca felt it like heat against his skin.

"I chose you the moment he confessed," Noel said simply. "I turned him down because I’m with you. Because I want you."

Luca blinked, the words hitting harder than he expected. He swallowed, jaw tensing.

"I know that," Luca murmured. "It’s just... when I saw you two, it felt like—" He stopped. He couldn’t finish.

Noel waited.

Luca forced the words out, voice cracking around the honesty: "It felt like I wasn’t enough."

Silence. Heavy. Raw. But honest.

Noel’s expression softened in a way Luca rarely saw—like something inside him eased open.

He shifted closer, slow and deliberate, closing half the distance they’d kept between them.

"You’re more than enough," Noel said quietly.

Luca’s breath hitched.

"I was afraid," Luca admitted, voice small but brave. "Afraid that maybe he had something I don’t. That maybe you’d... feel something."

"I don’t," Noel said. "Not for him."

He let that hang for a moment, then added, softer: "I only feel for you."

Luca looked down at Noel’s hand on the couch—the hand still not touching him, still waiting for permission.

His fingers trembled.

And finally, finally, he reached out and laid his hand on top of Noel’s.

Noel’s breath slipped out, slow and controlled, but Luca felt the way his fingers curled instantly, tightly, as if he’d been waiting for that touch since morning.

"When you said you were leaving tomorrow..." Luca whispered. "I didn’t know if we’d fix this before you go. I didn’t want you to leave like that."

"I don’t want to leave like that either," Noel answered.

Their hands stayed locked—warm, firm, steadying.

Luca lifted his gaze, meeting Noel’s eyes fully this time. "What do we do now?" he asked, voice barely audible.

Noel squeezed his hand, grounding him. "Now," Noel said softly, "we hold on to tonight."

Luca’s fingers tightened around Noel’s.

He took a breath, steadying himself. "I’m sorry too," he murmured. "For yesterday. For shutting you out. I shouldn’t have. I just—" He dragged in a breath, eyes flicking away. "I was afraid to face the truth. Afraid to hear what you said to Max. So I avoided you instead of talking to you. That was wrong."

Noel’s thumb brushed lightly over Luca’s hand. "Hey... it’s okay," he said gently. "I understand why you felt that way. I just want us to talk. Always."

Luca nodded, swallowing hard. "Seeing you with Max... I panicked. I didn’t want to lose what we have. And instead of being honest with you, I just... pulled away."

Noel’s other hand moved to lightly touch Luca’s cheek, warm, grounding. "You’re not a coward," he said firmly, voice steady, heart behind every word. "You’re human. And that’s enough for me. Always enough."

Luca’s heart hammered against his chest. He let his forehead rest gently against Noel’s. "I don’t ever want to hurt you," he admitted.

"You won’t," Noel replied, voice soft but certain. "Because we’re talking now. Because we’re here. Together. That’s what matters."

They stayed like that for a long moment, breathing the same air, feeling the weight of yesterday dissolve into the quiet intimacy of the present.

The cat meandered between their legs, brushing against Luca’s ankle, reminding them of the ordinary comfort of home—yet somehow the ordinary felt extraordinary when they were together.

Noel finally whispered, "We should finish packing. And then... let’s just be together. Before tomorrow."

Luca smiled, small and tired but genuine. "Yeah. Let’s do that."

They rose together, hands still touching, moving back to the bedroom—hearts lighter, closer, and ready to face whatever tomorrow might bring.