Dear Roommate Please Stop Being Hot [BL]-Chapter 257: Love in the Everyday

The fourth floor was quieter than the third—fewer people, more space between desks, the kind of atmosphere that encouraged focused work rather than conversation.

Noel stepped off the elevator, adjusting his bag on his shoulder, and headed toward his department.

Ren spotted him first, looking up from his computer. "Hey, you’re back."

"Yeah, just got in."

"How was Japan?" Jace asked from across the room, spinning in his chair.

"Good. Productive." Noel set his bag down at his desk, logging into his computer.

"Max said you handled the client presentation really well," Ren said.

"It was a team effort."

"That’s not what Max said," Jace grinned. "He said you basically carried it."

Before Noel could respond, the office door opened and Mr. Max walked in, coffee in hand, looking remarkably refreshed for someone who’d just flown back from Japan.

"Morning, everyone," Max said, his voice carrying that professional warmth he always had. His eyes landed on Noel. "Noel, welcome back. Hope you had a good flight."

"I did, thank you." Noel met his gaze evenly. "How was the rest of the trip?"

"Smooth. Client’s happy, contracts signed, everything wrapped up nicely." Max moved toward his office, pausing. "Team meeting in ten minutes. Conference room. We’ll debrief and discuss next steps, Mrs. Chen, and Mr.Park already waiting ."

"Got it," Ren said.

Max disappeared into his office, and Jace immediately leaned toward Noel. "So, really. How was Japan?"

"It was fine."

"Just fine?" Ren raised an eyebrow. "You were there for what... extra days?"

"Two, just weekend," Noel corrected, pulling up his email. Already fifty-three unread messages. "And yes, fine. Saw some sights, got some rest."

"Alone?" Jace’s tone was teasing now.

Noel glanced at him. "No."

"Oooh," Jace drew out the sound. "With who?"

"A friend."

"A friend," Ren repeated, clearly not buying it.

"Yep."

"Does this friend have a name?"

Noel sighed, deciding honesty was easier than deflection. "Luca. He works on the third floor."

"Ohh. Luca," Jace said slowly, like he was testing the name. "Wait, is that the guy who—"

"Ten-minute meeting, remember?" Noel cut him off, standing up. "We should probably review the presentation notes before Max starts asking questions."

Ren laughed. "Nice dodge."

"I’m efficient."

The meeting was exactly what Noel expected—Max walking them through the client feedback, Mrs chen, outlining the next project phase, assigning tasks with her usual clear precision.

Noel took notes, asked relevant questions, fell into the familiar rhythm of work.

By the time they returned to their desks, the morning had truly begun—emails, spreadsheets, the steady hum of productivity.

Noel worked through the morning methodically, crossing items off his task list, responding to messages, organizing files that had accumulated during his absence.

Around twelve-thirty, his phone buzzed.

Luca: lunch?

Noel: yeah, where?

Luca: cafeteria? the team wants to go together

Noel: be down in 5

He saved his work, locked his computer, and headed for the elevator.

The cafeteria was on the second floor—bright, open, windows overlooking the street, the lunch rush already in full swing.

Noel spotted Luca immediately, standing near the entrance with Bella, both of them laughing about something.

"Noel!" Bella waved enthusiastically as he approached. "You’re joining us!"

"Apparently."

"The more the merrier," she said, linking her arm through his like they’d been friends forever. "Come on, the others are saving a table."

They grabbed food—Noel went for the salad bar and grilled chicken, Luca predictably chose pasta and garlic bread—and made their way to a large table in the corner where the rest of the team had congregated.

Wei Chen and Camila sat across from each other, already eating. Liam was slouched in his chair, picking at fries. Georgia was in the table next to them, somehow making cafeteria food look elegant.

"Noel," Georgia said as he sat down beside Luca. "Good to see you. How was Japan?"

"Productive," Noel said, the answer automatic now.

"That’s what everyone keeps saying," Bella commented, sitting across from them. "But what about the fun parts? The food? The sights?"

"The food was excellent," Noel admitted. "And Tokyo’s beautiful."

"Did you go to any temples?" Camila asked.

"A few. The architecture was impressive."

"Shopping?" Bella pressed.

"Some."

"You’re giving us nothing here," Wei Chen said, grinning. "Come on, details."

Luca was eating his pasta, not contributing, but Noel could feel him smiling beside him.

"What kind of details?" Noel asked carefully.

"I don’t know, anything interesting? Funny stories? Did Luca embarrass himself?" Wei Chen looked at Luca. "He definitely embarrassed himself."

"I did not," Luca protested.

"You absolutely did," Noel said. "Remember.?"

"We agreed not to talk about the that."

"What happened.?" Bella leaned forward, delighted.

"Nothing," Luca said quickly.

"He got on the wrong train," Noel said. "Ended up three stops in the opposite direction before realizing."

The table laughed.

"It was confusing!" Luca defended. "Everything was in Japanese!"

"There were English signs," Noel pointed out.

"Tiny English signs."

"Still English."

"You’re supposed to be on my side," Luca muttered, but he was smiling.

"I’m on the side of accuracy."

Bella was practically glowing. "You two are adorable."

"We’re not adorable," Luca said.

"You really are," Camila agreed.

Lunch continued like that—easy conversation, gentle teasing, the comfortable dynamic of people who’d worked together long enough to feel like friends.

Georgia asked Noel about the client presentation, and he gave her the professional summary, leaving out the parts where Max had maybe praised him more than necessary.

Liam asked if Japan had good arcade games, and Noel admitted he hadn’t actually checked, which made Liam look personally offended.

Wei Chen wanted to know if Japanese coffee was better than their cafeteria coffee, and Noel diplomatically said "different" while Luca openly said "way better."

By the time lunch ended, Noel felt settled—back in the routine, surrounded by familiar faces, Luca’s presence beside him grounding in a way he’d come to rely on.

"Back to work," Georgia announced, standing up. "Some of us have double workloads to finish." She looked pointedly at Luca.

"I’m working on it," Luca said.

"Work faster."

They cleared their trays, disposed of trash, and headed back to the elevators.

Noel and Luca rode up together, alone this time.

"Your team likes you," Noel observed.

"They like gossip," Luca corrected. "I’m just providing material."

"You don’t seem to mind."

"I don’t." Luca glanced at him. "Do you?"

"Mind what?"

"Them knowing. About us."

Noel considered it. "No. It was going to come out eventually anyway."

"True."

The elevator stopped at the third floor. Luca stepped out, turning back. "See you tonight?"

"Obviously. We live together."

"Smart ass."

"Idiot."

Luca grinned as the doors closed.

Noel rode up to the fourth floor, that small smile still on his face.

The afternoon passed in a blur of work—reports to compile, emails to answer, a video call with a vendor that ran twenty minutes over schedule. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

By the time five-thirty rolled around, Noel was ready to be done.

He packed up his things, said goodbye to Ren and Jace, and headed downstairs.

Luca was already waiting in the lobby, scrolling through his phone.

"Ready?" Noel asked.

"So ready."

They walked home the same route they’d taken that morning, the city transitioning from work mode to evening mode—restaurants filling up, people heading home, the sky turning that particular shade of almost-purple that came before full dark.

"How was your afternoon?" Noel asked.

"Long. Georgia wasn’t kidding about the extra work." Luca stretched his arms overhead. "But I survived. You?"

"Same. Normal. Max wants a full report by Wednesday."

"Of course he does."

They reached their building, climbed the stairs—the elevator was still broken—and let themselves into the apartment.

Luca Jr. greeted them with his usual dramatic meow, winding between their legs like he hadn’t been fed in weeks instead of hours.

"Hey, buddy," Luca said, crouching down to pet him. "We’re home now."

Noel watched them—Luca, still in his work clothes, hair slightly messy from the day, scratching behind the cat’s ears with that soft expression he got when he thought no one was watching.

"I’m showering first," Noel announced.

"Go ahead."

Noel grabbed clean clothes and disappeared into the bathroom.

The shower was perfect—hot water easing the tension from his shoulders, washing away the accumulated stress of the day.

When he emerged twenty minutes later, dressed in sweatpants and a soft t-shirt, Luca was in the kitchen, reheating leftovers from yesterday.

"Your turn," Noel said.

"Food’s almost ready."

"Shower first, then food."

"You’re bossy when you’re tired."

"I’m practical when you’re about to fall asleep on the counter."

Luca looked at him, then at the microwave, then sighed. "Fine. Don’t let it overcook."

He disappeared toward the bathroom, and Noel took over kitchen duty—finishing the reheating, setting out plates, pouring water.

By the time Luca returned, hair damp, wearing his softest pajamas, dinner was on the table.

They ate quietly, the comfortable silence of people who didn’t need to fill every moment with words.

"Only two weeks left," Luca said eventually.

"Of internship."

"Then finals. Then break."

"Then next semester," Noel added.

"You’re really good at making things sound exhausting."

"I’m realistic."

"Same thing."

Noel smiled, taking their empty plates to the sink. "Want to watch something?"

"Yeah."

They settled on the couch—Luca stretching out, head in Noel’s lap, the cat claiming the armrest like a tiny furry king.

Noel pulled up something mindless on his laptop, some show neither of them had to think too hard about.

His hand found its way to Luca’s hair, fingers running through it absently.

"This is nice," Luca murmured, eyes already half-closed.

"Yeah."

"Japan was good. But this is better."

"Home is usually better."

"Not just home." Luca shifted slightly, looking up at him. "This. Us. The boring routine stuff."

Noel’s hand stilled for a moment. "It’s not boring."

"You know what I mean."

He did. The quiet moments. The shared space. The easy intimacy that came from building a life together, piece by piece, day by ordinary day.

"Yeah," Noel said softly. "I know what you mean."

Luca smiled, closing his eyes again. "Good."

They stayed like that for a while—show playing, neither of them really watching, the apartment settling into its nighttime quiet around them.

Eventually Noel realized Luca had fallen asleep, breath even, expression peaceful.

He should wake him. They should move to the actual bed.

But not yet.

Just a few more minutes like this.

Just a little longer.

The days blurred together after that—work, lunch, home, repeat.

Luca finished two of Georgia’s extra projects and looked unreasonably proud of himself.

Noel stayed late to finish Max’s report. They ordered takeout and fell asleep on the couch watching a documentary neither of them cared about.

Wednesday: Noel’s report was approved with minor revisions. Luca got praised by Georgia for his efficiency, immediately got assigned another project. They went grocery shopping after work, argued about vegetables, bought ice cream they didn’t need.

Thursday: Luca’s team had a meeting that ran until six. Noel worked on budget projections. They cooked dinner together—pasta, nothing fancy—and Luca complained that Noel cut the vegetables too perfectly while his own looked "rustic."

Friday: The week’s exhaustion caught up with both of them. They got home, showered, and were asleep by nine-thirty, Luca Jr. nestled between them like a warm, purring barrier.

Saturday morning arrived gentle and unhurried. No alarms. No rush.

Luca woke first for once, finding Noel still asleep beside him, face soft and unguarded in a way it never was when awake.

He watched for a moment—just existing in the quiet morning space, cataloging the details. The way Noel’s hair fell across his forehead. The steady rise and fall of his breathing.

This person. This impossible person who’d somehow become essential.

Outside, the city was waking up slowly. Inside, everything was exactly where it should be.

One more week of internship.

Then finals.

Then Christmas.

Then Noel’s birthday.

But for now, this Saturday morning was enough.

Luca settled back into the warmth, Noel unconsciously shifting closer, and let himself drift back to sleep.

Whatever came next, they’d figure it out.

Together.