Dear Roommate Please Stop Being Hot [BL]-Chapter 298: What Comes Next Can Wait

Luca’s phone buzzed halfway through his Operations Management exam.

He ignored it, focused on the question about inventory optimization models. Finished the last problem, checked his work twice, turned in his packet at the two-hour mark.

Outside, he checked his phone.

Noel: If you’re done and heading home, we need groceries. List attached.

The attached photo showed Noel’s careful handwriting: Milk, eggs, bread, coffee (the good kind), chicken breast, vegetables (whatever looks fresh), cat food, paper towels.

Luca typed back: Got it. Heading there now.

The response came immediately: Don’t go overboard.

Luca smiled. Noel knew him too well.

He cut across campus toward the main street, mind still half on the exam.

The inventory questions had been trickier than expected, but he’d worked through them methodically. Probably fine.

"Luca!"

He turned. Someone was waving from near the dining hall—tall, dark hair, familiar grin.

Nico.

Luca changed direction, meeting him halfway. "Hey, man."

"Dude, I haven’t seen you in forever." Nico pulled him into a quick hug, the kind guys did with backslaps that were almost aggressive. "You still alive?"

"Barely. Finals week."

"Tell me about it. I’ve got three exams left and I’m already dead." Nico gestured toward the dining hall. "You eating? I was about to grab something."

"Can’t. Grocery run. Noel’s waiting on stuff."

"Ah, right. The boyfriend." Nico’s grin widened. "How’s that going? Still domestic as hell?"

"Pretty much."

"Wild. I remember when you were at every party, always down for whatever. Now you’re doing grocery runs."

"People change."

"Yeah, they do." But Nico said it without judgment, just observation. "Jordan mentioned you guys are still solid. That’s cool."

"Yeah. We are."

"Good for you, man. Seriously." Nico checked his phone. "I should grab food before my study session. But hey—graduation’s next week, right?"

"Saturday."

"Congrats. You earned it."

"You too. You’re graduating this year?"

"Finally. Took an extra semester but I’m done." Nico clapped his shoulder. "Good seeing you. Tell your boyfriend I said hi."

"Will do."

They parted ways, Nico heading into the dining hall while Luca continued toward the street.

That life felt distant now—parties, late nights, the version of himself who thought responsibility was something that happened to other people.

He didn’t miss it, exactly. Just noticed how far he’d come from it.

The grocery store was busy with the usual Tuesday crowd. Luca grabbed a cart, pulled up Noel’s list on his phone.

Milk, eggs, bread—easy. Found them quickly.

Coffee took longer. Noel was particular about his coffee. Not the cheap stuff, but not the pretentious stuff either.

The middle-shelf brand that balanced quality and price. Luca grabbed two bags because they went through it fast.

Chicken breast, vegetables. He picked through the produce section, choosing the freshest-looking options.

Added bell peppers even though they weren’t on the list because Noel liked them. Grabbed some mushrooms too.

Cat food specific brand, He took three cans.

Paper towels. Check.

Then he wandered to the snack aisle.

Noel had been stressed about finals. The good dark chocolate he liked was on sale. Luca grabbed two bars.

Then those rice crackers Noel pretended not to inhale but definitely did. A bag of the fancy trail mix.

His cart was getting full.

He passed the bakery section. Fresh croissants, still warm. Noel loved fresh pastries in the morning. Luca added four to his cart.

At checkout, the total made him wince slightly. More than he’d planned. But everything was necessary, or at least justifiable.

Mostly justifiable.

He paid, loaded the bags into his backpack and two reusable totes, headed home.

Meanwhile, across campus, Noel emerged from his Global Economics exam feeling wrung out.

Three hours of essays about trade imbalances, currency fluctuations, and economic policy impacts.

His hand cramped from writing, his brain felt like static.

"Noel!"

He turned. Alex was jogging toward him, sketchbook tucked under one arm.

"Hey," Noel said. "What are you doing here?"

"Just finished meeting with my advisor about senior gallery stuff. You done for the day?"

"Yeah. That was brutal."

"Want to grab coffee? You look like you need it."

Noel checked his phone. No messages from Luca yet. "Sure. Why not."

They walked to the campus café, found a table outside despite the slight chill.

Alex ordered something complicated with extra shots, Noel stuck with plain black coffee.

"So," Alex said, settling into his chair. "One week left."

"One week."

"How’s it feel?"

"Surreal. Terrifying. Both at once." Noel wrapped his hands around his cup. "You?"

"Same. Plus trying to figure out what comes next, which is fun." Alex’s tone suggested it was not, in fact, fun. "My parents want me to apply to grad programs. I just want to work for a while, figure out what I actually want to do."

"That’s fair."

"Yeah, but try telling them that." Alex took a sip of his coffee. "What about you? Post-graduation plans?"

"Not really. I mean, I’ve had some interview offers, but nothing I’ve committed to yet. Luca and I are just... taking it as it comes."

"That’s probably smart. Everyone’s so obsessed with having everything figured out immediately."

"Are you and Lina figured out?"

Alex smiled, small and genuine. "Getting there."

"Good. You both deserve that."

"Thanks." Alex studied him. "You and Luca are solid."

"We are."

"That’s rare, you know. Finding someone who actually gets you."

"I know."

They talked for a while longer—about finals, about graduation, about the weird liminal space they were all occupying between student life and whatever came next.

Easy conversation, the kind that came from years of being in the same friend group.

Eventually Alex checked his watch. "I should go. Meeting Lina at her studio in twenty."

"Tell her I said hi."

"Will do." Alex stood, grabbed his sketchbook. "See you around, Noel."

"See you."

Noel finished his coffee slowly, watching students pass by.

Everyone looked stressed, exhausted, running on caffeine and determination.

One more week.

He could do one more week.

When Noel got home, Luca was in the kitchen putting away groceries.

The counter was covered with bags.

"I said not to go overboard," Noel said, but he was smiling.

"I didn’t."

"Luca, there are three kinds of cheese here."

"We needed cheese."

"We needed one kind of cheese."

"But these were on sale."

Noel moved closer, inspecting the haul. Milk, eggs, bread—everything from his list. Plus bell peppers, mushrooms, chocolate, crackers, trail mix, fresh croissants, and apparently a lot of cheese.

"How much did you spend?"

"Not that much."

"Luca."

"It’s fine. We needed it."

"We needed milk and eggs. Everything else is you spoiling me."

"Is that a problem?"

Noel sighed, but he was already reaching for the chocolate. "You’re impossible."

"You love it."

"Unfortunately." Noel unwrapped the chocolate, broke off a piece. "Thank you. Seriously."

"You’re stressed. Comfort food helps."

"It does." Noel kissed him quickly. "But next time, stick to the list."

"No promises."

They finished putting groceries away together, cat supervising and demanding attention.

Noel made tea, they shared the chocolate, and the afternoon settled into something easy.

"Ran into Nico on the way to the store," Luca said.

"Your friend?"

"Yeah. He asked about you. Said congratulations on graduation."

"That was nice of him."

"He’s good people. Just lives a different life than we do now."

"You miss it? That version of yourself?"

Luca considered. "Sometimes. But not really. That was fun, but this is better."

"This?"

"This." Luca gestured between them, around the apartment. "Us. What we’ve built."

Noel’s expression softened. "Yeah. Me too."

Outside, the afternoon faded toward evening. Inside, everything felt exactly right.

Two exams down. Three more to go.

But for now, they had fresh croissants, good chocolate, and each other.

More than enough.

They migrated to the couch with their tea and snacks, the cat claiming his usual spot on the armrest.

Noel grabbed the comic book from the side table—something Alex had lent him weeks ago, still only half-read.

He settled into the corner, Luca immediately sprawling beside him, head in his lap, legs stretched out across the cushions.

"Comfortable?" Noel asked.

"Very." Luca had changed into shorts and an old t-shirt, the kind of clothes that only existed for being home. "What are we reading?"

"Saga. It’s a space opera thing."

"With the people who have TV heads?"

"Those are different people. This one has wings and horns."

"Fantasy makes no sense."

"It’s science fiction."

"Same thing."

Noel opened to where he’d left off, started reading aloud.

His voice was steady, almost monotone, but Luca liked it that way. Soothing.

The story followed two soldiers from opposite sides of an intergalactic war who’d fallen in love and were now running for their lives with their newborn daughter.

"Wait," Luca interrupted. "Why does the baby have wings if only one parent has wings?"

"Genetics don’t work the same way for different species."

"That’s convenient."

"It’s fiction, Luca."

"Still." Luca shifted, getting more comfortable. "Also, running away with a baby during a war seems impractical."

"That’s the whole point. They’re trying to survive."

"They should’ve thought about that before having a kid in a war zone."

"You’re very judgmental about fictional characters’ life choices."

"Someone has to be."

Noel continued reading, narrating a scene where the couple landed on a planet made entirely of forest.

Luca listened quietly for a few pages, then interrupted again.

"The tree is talking."

"Yes."

"Why is the tree talking?"

"It’s a sentient forest."

"Of course it is." Luca’s fingers found the hem of Noel’s shirt, playing with it absently. "Are they going to trust the talking tree?"

"Probably not. Nothing in this book is straightforward."

"Good. Trusting talking trees is how you get cursed."

"That’s fairy tales."

"Same principle applies."

Noel turned the page, his free hand settling in Luca’s hair, fingers carding through it gently.

Luca made a small contented sound, eyes half-closing.

"You’re going to fall asleep," Noel observed.

"No I’m not. Keep reading."

Noel did. The couple argued with the tree, which turned out to be less helpful and more cryptic than expected.

Then mercenaries showed up, forcing them to run again.

"They’re always running," Luca murmured.

"That’s what happens when you’re wanted by two different armies."

"Stressful."

"Very."

Luca shifted again, rolling onto his back so he could look up at Noel. "You like this book?"

"It’s good. Alex has good taste in comics."

"Better than those superhero ones you used to read?"

"Those were also good."

"They weren’t. Someone gets powers, fights a villain, saves the city, repeat."

"And you read nothing but business theory, which is thrilling."

"At least business theory is useful."

"So is escapism." Noel’s fingers traced along Luca’s temple, down to his jaw. "You need things that aren’t useful sometimes."

"I have you. You’re not useful."

"Rude."

"Accurate." But Luca was smiling, the teasing kind that crinkled his eyes. "You’re decorative."

"I cook for you."

"Decorative and functional."

"Better." Noel leaned down, kissed him upside down. Brief and warm. "You’re not useful either."

"I buy groceries."

"You buy excessive amounts of groceries."

"Same thing."

Noel straightened, going back to the book.

The couple had escaped the mercenaries but landed in a worse situation—trapped on a planet with no way off.

"That’s depressing," Luca said.

"It gets better eventually."

"Does it?"

"I assume so. Alex wouldn’t recommend something completely hopeless."

"Alex recommended that one movie where everyone died."

"That was different. That was artistically meaningful death."

"Still death."

Noel read a few more pages. The couple found temporary shelter, had a moment of quiet together before the next crisis inevitably arrived.

Luca’s hand had migrated to Noel’s knee, thumb rubbing small circles absently. His eyes were actually closed now, breathing evening out.

"I thought you weren’t falling asleep," Noel said softly.

"I’m not. Just resting my eyes."

"Sure."

"Keep reading."

Noel did, voice dropping lower, almost a murmur.

The story continued but he wasn’t really tracking it anymore.

Too focused on Luca—the weight of his head in his lap, the warmth of his hand, the complete trust in the way he’d just sprawled out and claimed this space as his.

Easy in a way nothing else was.

"Noel," Luca said without opening his eyes.

"Yeah?"

"When we graduate... we’re staying together, right?"

"Of course."

"I know we haven’t talked about specifics. Jobs, where we’ll live, all that."

"We don’t need to figure it all out right now."

"I know. Just making sure we’re on the same page."

Noel’s hand stilled in his hair. "We are. Whatever comes next, we do it together."

Luca’s eyes opened then, finding his. "Promise?"

"Promise."

"Okay." Luca’s hand squeezed his knee gently. "Good."

They stayed like that—Noel reading quietly, Luca drifting in and out of sleep, the afternoon dissolving into early evening.

The light through the window turned golden, then amber, painting everything in warm tones.

Eventually Noel set the book aside. His voice was getting tired anyway, and Luca was definitely asleep now despite his protests.

He stayed still, not wanting to wake him. Let his head rest, fingers still moving through his hair in slow, soothing patterns.

Outside, the city carried on. Inside, this moment stretched out, unhurried and perfect.

No exams to worry about right now. No stress about the future. Just this—comfort and closeness and the steady rhythm of breathing in sync.

Noel’s own eyes started getting heavy. The couch was comfortable, Luca was warm against him, and the week’s exhaustion was catching up.

Maybe just a few minutes, he thought.

His eyes drifted closed.

The apartment settled into quiet. Cat purred from his perch. The radiator hummed its familiar tune.

And they slept, tangled together on the couch, the world outside forgotten for a while.

Everything else could wait.

For now, this was all they needed.