Dear Roommate Please Stop Being Hot [BL]-Chapter 301: One Week Left

Sunday Plans

They brought tacos home in grease-stained paper bags, ate them on the balcony as the sun finished setting.

Luca had ordered too much again—five tacos when he could realistically eat three. Noel didn’t comment, just helped him finish the extras.

"Good?" Noel asked.

"Perfect." Luca wiped his hands on a napkin, leaned back in his chair. "Beach, tacos, you. Best anniversary celebration."

"Setting the bar low for future years."

"Setting realistic expectations."

The cat appeared in the doorway, assessed their dinner remains with clear judgment, and meowed his disapproval.

"You had your dinner," Noel told him.

The cat meowed louder.

"Ignore him," Luca said. "He’s manipulating you."

"I’m aware."

But Noel still tossed a small piece of chicken toward him. He caught it, ate it in two bites, and immediately demanded more.

"Spoiled," Luca observed.

"Wonder whose fault that is."

"Definitely yours."

They cleaned up together, tossed the trash, rinsed their hands.

The apartment felt different now—lighter, less weighted with academic pressure.

Finals were over. Just graduation week stretched ahead, still significant but no longer terrifying.

"What’s tomorrow?" Luca asked, following Noel to the couch.

"Sunday. Nothing scheduled."

"The whole week’s free, actually."

"Until Saturday."

Saturday. Graduation. The word still felt abstract, like something happening to someone else.

Luca settled into Noel’s side, his usual spot. Noel’s arm came around his shoulders automatically, pulling him close.

"We should see people this week," Noel said.

"People?"

"Friends. Before everyone scatters." Noel’s fingers traced absent patterns on Luca’s arm. "Emily, George, Alex, Lina. Maybe all together, maybe separate. Just... making time before everything changes."

"That’s surprisingly sentimental."

"I have my moments."

"Rare moments."

"Appreciate them while they last."

Luca smiled, tilting his head to look up at him. "Tomorrow then. Text the group, see who’s free."

"Okay."

They sat in comfortable silence, some documentary playing on low volume that neither was really watching.

Luca’s hand found Noel’s, fingers lacing together, resting on his thigh.

"Can I ask you something?" Luca said eventually.

"Always."

"After graduation. When we figure out jobs, where we’re living, all that." He paused, gathering his thoughts. "You’re not worried we’ll grow apart?"

Noel’s hand tightened around his. "Are you?"

"Sometimes. Late at night when I can’t sleep and my brain won’t shut up." Luca’s thumb brushed across Noel’s knuckles. "We’ve been students this whole time. Same campus, same schedules, same world. What if the real world is different? What if we want different things?"

"Then we’ll figure it out." Noel shifted so he could see Luca’s face properly. "I can’t promise everything will be easy. But I can promise I’m not going anywhere. Whatever comes next, we do it together."

"You sound very certain."

"I am." No hesitation, no doubt. "You’re it for me, Luca. Has been for a while now."

Luca’s throat tightened. "You can’t just say things like that."

"Why not?"

"Because it makes me—" He stopped, overwhelmed. "It makes everything feel too big."

"In a bad way?"

"In a scary way. Like I could lose it."

Noel cupped his face, thumb brushing his cheekbone. "You’re not losing me. Not to jobs, not to distance, not to anything. I’m here. Completely."

Luca kissed him, urgent and deep, trying to communicate everything he couldn’t put into words.

Noel responded immediately, hand sliding into his hair, holding him close.

When they broke apart, both breathless, Noel pressed his forehead against Luca’s.

"One year down," Noel murmured. "Many more to go."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

They stayed tangled together as night settled fully around them.

Outside, the city transitioned into its evening rhythm—distant music, car horns, the perpetual hum of life continuing.

"I love you," Luca said quietly.

"Love you too."

Morning would bring decisions about how to spend their free week.

Friends to see, plans to make, the slow countdown to Saturday.

But tonight was just this—closeness and certainty and the particular comfort of being known completely.

Luca’s eyes drifted closed, Noel’s heartbeat steady beneath his ear.

Right now, nothing needed to change at all.

This was perfect exactly as it was.

Luca woke to sunlight streaming through the bedroom window and an empty bed.

He reached out, patting the space where Noel should be. Cold sheets. He’d been gone a while, then.

Luca sat up, rubbing his face. The apartment was quiet—no coffee brewing, no shower running, no sound of Noel moving around.

"Noel?" he called out.

Nothing.

He checked his phone. Seven forty-three. No messages.

Luca got up, padded through the apartment. Bathroom empty. Kitchen empty. Living room empty except for the cat, who was sprawled across the back of the couch in a patch of sun.

"Where’d he go?" Luca asked the cat.

The cat cracked one eye open, assessed him with clear disinterest, went back to sleep.

"Helpful."

Luca called Noel’s phone. It rang four times, went to voicemail.

Now he was slightly worried. Noel always answered. Always.

He texted: Where are you?

The message delivered but no response came.

Luca made coffee on autopilot, mind spinning through possibilities. Maybe he’d gone to campus for something. Maybe—

The front door opened.

Noel appeared, slightly sweaty, wearing running clothes, carrying two paper bags.

"Morning," Noel said, kicking the door closed behind him.

"You went running?"

"Yeah. Couldn’t sleep, figured I’d get some exercise." Noel set the bags on the counter, pulled out his earbuds. "Sorry, had my music too loud. Didn’t hear your call."

"I was worried."

"I left a note."

"Where?"

Noel pointed to the fridge. Sure enough, a sticky note was attached: Went for a run. Back soon.

"Oh." Luca felt slightly stupid now. "I didn’t see it."

"Clearly." But Noel was smiling, crossing to him, pressing a quick kiss to his forehead. "I’m fine. Just needed to move."

"You don’t run."

"I used to. Before college got insane." Noel grabbed a glass, filled it with water, drank half in one go. "Figured I’d start again. Clear my head."

"How far did you go?"

"Just around the neighborhood. Maybe three miles." Noel gestured to the bags. "Stopped at that bakery you like on the way back. Got us breakfast."

Luca peered into the bags. Fresh croissants, still warm. Some kind of pastries with fruit. Two breakfast sandwiches wrapped in foil.

"You bought half the bakery."

"I didn’t know what you’d want to eat today."

"So you got everything?"

"Seemed logical at the time."

Luca pulled out a croissant, tore off a piece. Buttery, flaky, perfect. "I’m not complaining."

Noel disappeared into the bedroom, came back in clean clothes, hair damp from a quick wash. He grabbed one of the breakfast sandwiches, unwrapped it, took a bite.

"How long have you been up?" Luca asked.

"Since six. Tried to go back to sleep, couldn’t. Too much in my head."

"Worried?"

"Not worried. Just thinking." Noel took another bite, chewed thoughtfully. "It’s strange. We’ve been working toward this for four years and now it’s almost here. Just feels surreal."

"Yeah."

They ate standing at the counter, passing pastries back and forth, neither bothering with plates. The cat eventually noticed food was happening, appeared at their feet meowing insistently.

"I already fed you," Noel told him.

Meowed louder, more pathetic.

"He’s fine," Luca said.

"He sounds like he’s dying."

"He’s dramatic."

"You’re creating a monster," Luca observed.

"Too late. He’s already a monster."

They finished eating, cleaned up the wrappers.

Luca refilled his coffee, leaned against the counter watching Noel move around the kitchen.

"You want to do something today?" Noel asked.

"Like what?"

"I don’t know. Something. We have a whole week with nothing scheduled."

"We could text the group. See who’s around."

"Good idea." Noel pulled out his phone, opened their group chat.

Noel:Anyone free today? Thinking we could all meet up.

The responses came quickly.

Emily: I’m free! Where?

George: Works for me. What time?

Alex: I’m in. Lina too if that’s cool?

Noel: Of course. Student center at 2?

Emily: Perfect. See you then.

George: thump emojis

Alex:See you there.

Luca checked the time. Nine fifteen. They had almost five hours.

"What do we do until then?" he asked.

"We could watch something. Or go for a walk. Or absolutely nothing."

"Nothing sounds good."

"Lazy Sunday morning it is."

They migrated to the couch with fresh coffee.

Noel pulled up some movie neither of them had seen, something with robots and explosions that required zero brain power.

Luca immediately sprawled across him, head in his lap, legs stretched along the cushions.

Noel’s hand settled in his hair, fingers moving through it absently.

"Comfortable?" Noel asked.

"Very."

"You’re always comfortable on me."

"You’re comfortable to lie on."

"Glad I have a purpose."

The movie played, loud and colorful.

Luca watched for maybe twenty minutes before his attention drifted.

He was more focused on Noel’s fingers in his hair, the steady rise and fall of his breathing, the way sunlight painted patterns across the floor.

"You’re not watching," Noel observed.

"I’m watching enough."

"The plot is happening."

"I’m sure I can piece it together."

Noel’s hand moved from his hair to his shoulder, rubbing gentle circles. "What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing specific. Just... this. How nice it is to have nothing to do."

"Novelty of free time."

"We should have free time more often."

"That’s generally how life works after graduation."

"Assuming we get jobs."

"We’ll get jobs."

"Optimistic."

"Realistic." Noel’s hand stilled on his shoulder. "Even if it takes a while, we’ll figure it out."

"You keep saying that."

"Because it’s true."

Luca rolled onto his back so he could see Noel’s face properly. "You really believe everything’s going to work out?"

"I believe we’ll make it work out." Noel looked down at him, expression soft. "Not everything has to be figured out right now. We have time."

"I know. Just hard to remember sometimes."

"Then I’ll remind you."

Luca reached up, pulled him down for a kiss. Upside down and slightly awkward but warm and right.

When they broke apart, Noel’s expression was fond, amused.

"What?" Luca asked.

"Nothing. You’re just—" Noel shook his head slightly. "You’re very you."

"Is that bad?"

"It’s perfect."

Luca’s chest tightened in that good way, the way that meant something real was happening.

He settled back down, head in Noel’s lap, and they returned to the movie.

On screen, robots fought dramatically. In their apartment, everything was quiet and still and exactly right.

The cat jumped onto the couch, circled twice, settled against Luca’s stomach. Started purring, loud and rumbling.

"He’s claimed you," Noel said.

"He claims everyone."

"Only people he likes."

"So everyone."

"Fair point."

The morning stretched out, easy and unhurried. No stress, no deadlines, no pressure to be anywhere or do anything.

Just this. Just them. Just Sunday morning with nothing but time.

Around one thirty, they finally extracted themselves from the couch. Changed into actual clothes, made sure the cat had food and water, headed out.

The walk to campus took twenty minutes at their leisurely pace.

The day was warm, students everywhere enjoying the break between finals and graduation.

Luca laced their fingers together, squeezed gently.