Dear Roommate Please Stop Being Hot [BL]-Chapter 266: Together, Always Enough

Tuesday morning came easier than Monday not easy, but easier.

The alarm at 6:30 felt less violent, the cold outside less shocking, the return to routine less jarring now that they’d broken through that first day back.

Noel was already awake when Luca opened his eyes, lying there staring at the ceiling.

"You’re doing it again," Luca said, voice still rough with sleep.

"What?"

"Thinking too loud."

"I’m not thinking loud."

"Your brain is practically screaming. I can hear it from here."

Noel turned his head, a small smile appearing. "That’s not how brains work."

"Mine does." Luca shifted closer, throwing an arm across Noel’s chest. "What are you worried about?"

"The export compliance report. Max wants it by end of day, and I’m not sure the tariff classifications are correct."

"It’s 6:30 in the morning."

"I know."

"You can’t fix tariff classifications from bed."

"I know that too."

"Then stop thinking about them." Luca propped himself up on one elbow, looking down at him. "You slept better last night, right?"

"Yeah. I did."

"Then let’s keep that momentum. One thing at a time. You’ll get to the report when you get to work."

Noel studied his face. "When did you become the reasonable one?"

"I’ve always been reasonable. You just don’t listen."

"That sounds like something I would say."

"I’m learning from the best."

They got up, moving through their morning routine with the slight efficiency that came from having done this together for months.

Noel in the shower while Luca made coffee, switching places, getting dressed in their small bedroom without constantly bumping into each other.

Breakfast was quick cereal for Luca despite Noel’s disapproving look, oatmeal for Noel with fruit precisely arranged on top.

"You’re judging my breakfast choices," Luca observed.

"I’m observing your breakfast choices."

"Same thing."

"Not remotely the same thing."

They were out the door by 7:50, the morning cold but clear, winter sunlight making everything sharp and bright.

"Georgia responded to my draft last night," Luca said as they walked. "Seventeen comments."

"That’s not bad."

"Seventeen comments, Noel. On eight pages."

"She’s thorough."

"She’s picky."

"Also thorough."

They passed the coffee shop that was always crowded, the convenience store that never seemed to close, the intersection where they always had to wait too long for the light to change.

"You nervous about the report?" Luca asked.

"A little. Max has high standards."

"So do you. It’ll be fine."

"You don’t know that."

"I know you. You don’t do anything halfway. The report will be perfect because you won’t submit it until it is."

Noel glanced at him, something soft in his expression. "You have a lot of faith in me."

"Obviously. You’re brilliant and meticulous and slightly terrifying when you’re focused."

"Terrifying?"

"In a hot way."

"That doesn’t make sense."

"Makes perfect sense to me."

The office building appeared ahead.

They joined the flow of people heading inside, took the elevator up together.

"Lunch?" Luca asked as the third floor approached.

"Might have to work through it. But I’ll text you."

"Noel—"

"I know, I know. But if I’m going to finish this report by five, I need the time."

The elevator dinged. Luca stepped out, turning back. "Text me anyway. Even if you can’t break. I want to know you’re okay."

"I will."

The doors closed, and Luca headed to his department, already mentally preparing for Georgia’s seventeen comments.

The morning was consumed by revisions addressing Georgia’s feedback, which was annoyingly accurate, restructuring sections that didn’t flow properly, adding data she’d requested but he’d somehow overlooked.

Bella stopped by his desk around ten. "You look stressed."

"I’m focused."

"That’s what stressed people say."

"I have seventeen comments to address by this afternoon."

"Ouch." She perched on the edge of his desk. "Want help? I’m ahead on my stuff."

"Really?"

"Really. What do you need?"

They worked together for the next hour.

Bella pulling additional data while Luca restructured, both of them trading the document back and forth, efficiency doubling with the collaboration.

"You’re a lifesaver," Luca said when they finally had everything addressed.

"That’s what teammates are for." She stood, stretching. "Plus, you covered for me when I had that disaster with the quarterly projections. We’re even."

By noon, Luca had resubmitted his draft to Georgia, who responded within ten minutes with "Much better. Minor tweaks needed but we’re close."

Progress.

He checked his phone.

Noel: still working. report is taking longer than expected

Luca: did you eat anything?

Noel: had coffee

Luca: coffee isn’t food

Noel: it’s liquid food

Luca: that’s not how nutrition works

Luca: I’m bringing you something

Noel: you don’t have to

Luca: too late already decided

Luca grabbed his jacket and headed down to the cafeteria, picking up a sandwich, fruit, and another coffee because Noel would want coffee even if he needed actual food.

The fourth floor was quieter than the third, more spread out, the atmosphere focused rather than chaotic.

He found Noel’s near the window, papers spread everywhere, laptop open to what looked like an incredibly complex spreadsheet.

Noel looked up when Luca approached, surprise flickering across his face. "You actually came."

"I said I would." Luca set down the food. "Eat."

"I’m in the middle of—"

"Noel. Eat."

Something in Luca’s tone must have convinced him. Noel saved his work and picked up the sandwich, taking a bite.

"Thank you," he said after swallowing.

"You’re welcome." Luca leaned against the desk. "How’s it going?"

"Slowly. The classifications are more complicated than I thought. I’ve been cross-referencing with three different databases."

"Sounds thrilling."

"It’s necessary."

"Also thrilling."

Noel smiled slightly, taking another bite. "How are your revisions?"

"Done. Resubmitted. Georgia said ’much better’ which is basically a love letter from her."

"That’s great."

They talked while Noel ate nothing important, just the comfortable back-and-forth that made even stressful days more bearable.

Ren appeared from the conference room, spotting Luca. "Oh, hey. Didn’t know you were visiting."

"Just visiting the workaholic."

"Smart. We’ve been trying to get him to take a break all morning."

"He’s stubborn."

"I’m right here," Noel pointed out.

"We know," Luca and Ren said simultaneously, then looked at each other and grinned.

"I should get back," Luca said eventually. "And take actual breaks. Your brain needs rest to function."

"I know."

"Do you though?"

"Yes, doctor."

"Sarcasm doesn’t suit you."

"It suits me perfectly."

Luca leaned down, pressing a quick kiss to the top of Noel’s head before he could think better of it in the office setting. "Text me when you’re done. We’ll walk home together."

"Okay."

As Luca headed back to the elevator, he heard Ren say, "You two are disgustingly cute."

"Shut up," Noel replied, but his voice was warm.

The afternoon dragged final tweaks to his report, a meeting about transition plans for when internship ended, coordinating with Wei Chen on a shared project that needed completion.

By four, Luca’s eyes were crossing from staring at his computer.

His phone buzzed.

Noel: finished the report. submitted to Max

Luca: and???

Noel: he approved it. said it was thorough

Luca: told you it would be perfect

Noel: you were right

Luca: say it again

Noel: don’t push your luck

Luca: worth a try

Luca: meet you in the lobby at 5:30?

Noel: see you then

The last hour and a half passed slowly, but finally 5:30 arrived.

Luca saved everything, shut down his computer, and headed downstairs.

Noel was already there, looking tired but relieved, the tension from this morning visibly lessened.

"Good day?" Luca asked as they stepped outside.

"Better now that it’s over."

"The report was good?"

"Max seemed pleased. That’s as close to praise as he gets."

They walked home in the growing dusk, the sky turning that particular purple-blue that came before full dark.

"What do you want for dinner?" Luca asked.

"I don’t care. Whatever’s easy."

"That’s not helpful."

"You always say that to me."

"Because it’s true."

They stopped at the convenience store, grabbing ingredients for a simple stir-fry vegetables, rice, some protein, nothing complicated.

Back at the apartment, the cat greeted them with slightly less drama than yesterday, already adjusting to the new routine.

"I’ll cook," Noel offered, changing into comfortable clothes.

"You sure? You’ve been working hard all day."

"Cooking relaxes me."

"That’s weird but okay."

Luca took over cat duty while Noel moved around the kitchen with quiet efficiency chopping vegetables with precise cuts, timing rice perfectly, the apartment filling with good smells.

They ate at their small table, talking about the day, about work finishing this week, about New Year’s Eve plans with their teams.

"Bella’s very excited about going out," Luca said. "She keeps texting the group chat about what to wear."

"Ren’s the same way. Apparently it’s a ’significant social event.’"

"It’s going to a bar."

"A significant bar."

"There’s no such thing as a significant bar."

"Tell that to Ren."

After dinner, they cleaned up together.

Noel washing, Luca drying, the rhythm so familiar now it required no thought.

They settled on the couch afterward, Luca immediately sprawling across Noel’s lap.

"You’re in my space again," Noel observed.

"This is our space. I’m just occupying more of it."

"That’s not how space works."

"Sure it is."

Noel’s hand found its way to Luca’s hair, fingers threading through absently while he scrolled through his phone with the other hand.

"What are you reading?" Luca asked, eyes closed, content.

"Article about international trade regulations. Pretty dry."

"Sounds fascinating."

"It’s actually kind of interesting. The way different countries approach tariff classifications—"

"Noel."

"What?"

"It’s almost nine PM. Work is over. No more trade regulations."

"I’m just reading—"

Luca took the phone gently from his hand, setting it on the coffee table. "No more work. Rest."

"You’re very bossy about rest."

"Someone has to be." Luca shifted, looking up at him. "You did great today. The report is done. Max approved it. You can stop thinking about work now."

Noel’s expression softened. "You’re right."

"I usually am."

"That’s my line."

"I’m borrowing it."

Noel leaned down, kissing him softly. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For caring. For bringing me lunch. For making me stop when I need to stop."

"That’s what we do," Luca said, echoing his own words from last night. "We take care of each other."

"Yeah. We do."

They stayed like that, wrapped in each other and the quiet comfort of home, the exhaustion of another work day settling into their bones but made bearable by being together.

Tomorrow was Wednesday—New Year’s Eve, the last work day before the holiday, one more push before they could breathe.

But for now, this was enough.

Always enough.