Dear Roommate Please Stop Being Hot [BL]-Chapter 314: Off-Key and Perfec

The afternoon carried on in a quiet hum of productivity.

The boardroom was alive with discussion, pens scratching across pads, voices measured but urgent.

Luca moved through it with calm authority, chair adjusted just so, posture sharp, eyes scanning the room with precision.

"Make sure the supplier contract revisions are ready for tomorrow," he said, voice steady, firm but not harsh. "And double-check the shipping timelines. No errors."

"Yes, sir," Jane replied, already tapping on her tablet.

Another call, another set of decisions.

Luca handled them all, methodical, deliberate.

And yet, through every brief pause—between signing a document, between nodding at a report—his thumb lingered over his phone, half-expecting, half-hoping for another message from Noel.

At three o’clock, a quiet ping drew his attention.

Don’t work too hard. I’ll be here waiting.

Luca smiled faintly, shaking his head. Always checking on me.

The rest of the afternoon passed in similar rhythm—emails answered, meetings run with quiet authority, strategy laid out with precision.

But beneath the surface, the city outside his office window seemed to blur.

Numbers, deadlines, charts—all present, but secondary to the soft anticipation threading through his day.

By five-thirty, the last meeting wrapped.

Luca leaned back, exhaling slowly, hands clasped on the table. Jane glanced at him.

"Long day, sir?"

"Standard," he said, voice light, though his thoughts were already elsewhere. "Let’s wrap up here. I’ll take the rest offline."

He gathered his jacket, straightened his tie, and headed for the elevator.

The doors slid closed with a soft chime, and the city below sprawled out, golden in the fading light.

In the car, the driver gave him a nod. "Heading home, sir?"

"Yes," Luca replied, settling back in his seat. He paused briefly, adjusting the rearview mirror. "Direct route, please."

Luca’s gaze flicked to the skyline, the city lights beginning to blink alive.

He thought of Noel—the morning together, the teasing, the quiet comfort of their apartment. A smile tugged at his lips.

Almost there.

The car eased to the familiar curb outside their building.

Luca’s hand lingered on the door handle for a moment, taking in the quiet promise of home.

The driver opened the door. "Here you are, sir."

"Thank you," Luca said, stepping out.

Upstairs, the apartment lights glimmered softly. And as Luca’s key turned in the lock, a small, familiar tail flicked against the door frame.

He paused. The cat. Always there first, waiting, just like Noel.

Luca stepped inside, and the soft, lived-in warmth of the apartment embraced him.

The day’s tension melted slowly, replaced by quiet excitement.

Noel would be here. Waiting.

He smiled, and the apartment suddenly felt full again.

Luca set his bag down, straightening his jacket, eyes flicking toward the small dining table.

Noel appeared from the kitchen, casually brushing his hair back, a smile tugging at his lips. "You’re home early."

"Not early," Luca replied smoothly, leaning against the doorway. "Just on time for you."

Noel rolled his eyes playfully. "You always say that."

Luca stepped forward, hands brushing against Noel’s as he passed, a subtle warmth lingering. "And it’s always true."

The cat wove between their feet, tail flicking, as Noel bent to pick him up. "He missed you. And I missed you too."

Luca watched the exchange, a small, fond smile tugging at his lips. "Well, we can’t let him hog all the affection, can we?"

Noel looked up, eyes glinting with mischief. "Jealous again?"

"Maybe," Luca admitted, voice soft but playful. "But I’ll forgive him if you share."

Noel laughed, setting the cat down, and leaned in close. "Then let’s go. Dinner."

"Good." Luca pulled out his phone to confirm the reservation. "Everything’s ready. Tonight, you’re not cooking. You’re just enjoying me."

Noel raised a brow, smiling. "You’re very confident."

"Not confident," Luca corrected, fingers brushing his tie, adjusting it. "Certain."

They slipped into the car, the city lights painting soft streaks across the dashboard.

The drive was quiet at first, smooth, with the occasional shared smile or teasing glance.

"You know," Noel began, leaning slightly forward, "I like that you plan these little surprises. Makes you... less scary."

Luca smirked, glancing at him briefly. "Less scary? I’m always scary at work."

"Not here," Noel replied, voice soft, warm. "Here... you’re just... you. And I like that version."

The car pulled up to the restaurant, an understated but elegant space, lights glowing warmly against the night.

Luca opened the door for Noel, letting him step out first, a hand lingering briefly at his lower back.

"After you," Luca said, voice low, teasing.

Noel smiled, brushing past him, eyes gleaming with quiet affection. "Always so formal."

Luca caught up effortlessly, slipping his hand into Noel’s as they entered, the world outside fading into soft murmur and candlelight.

Once inside, the host led them to a corner table, intimate but open enough to feel the city hum around them.

Luca pulled out Noel’s chair, then settled across from him, eyes meeting his with that familiar spark.

"Dinner," Luca said softly. "Just us. No schedules. No work. No interruptions."

"No interruptions," Noel agreed, leaning back slightly, letting the moment stretch.

And in that soft glow, over the gentle clink of glasses, they settled into the rhythm they had always shared—teasing, laughing, intimate without needing words.

The waiter returned with their drinks, placing them gently on the table before stepping away.

Candlelight flickered between them, casting soft shadows across Luca’s sharp features and catching in Noel’s eyes.

Luca lifted his glass first. "To being in the same city again. And not counting days on a screen."

Noel smiled, warmth blooming in his chest as he clinked his glass against Luca’s. "To coming home."

They drank. The wine was smooth, warming, but it was the look in Luca’s eyes that made Noel’s breath catch—the way he watched him, like he was memorizing him all over again.

"You look... relaxed," Luca said after a moment. "Different from when you left."

Noel tilted his head. "Good different or bad different?"

"Very good," Luca replied without hesitation. "You’re lighter. Like you finally let yourself breathe."

Noel chuckled softly. "Singapore was intense. Meetings, flights, deadlines... but it also reminded me what I missed." He paused, gaze steady. "You."

Luca’s expression softened, something unguarded crossing his face before he masked it with a teasing smirk. "Careful. Say things like that and I might cancel my meetings tomorrow."

Noel laughed, reaching across the table, his fingers brushing Luca’s knuckles. "You already tried that this morning, remember?"

"Worth a shot," Luca murmured, intertwining their fingers briefly before the waiter returned with their food.

Plates were set down, steam rising, the scent rich and inviting.

They ate slowly, conversation flowing easily—stories about work, small frustrations, things that made them laugh.

Luca talked about a difficult board meeting, mimicking one of the directors so perfectly that Noel nearly choked on his drink.

"You’re terrible," Noel laughed, shaking his head.

"I’m accurate," Luca corrected, grinning. "There’s a difference."

As the night deepened, the restaurant softened around them—low music, clinking glasses, muted conversations.

Luca reached across the table again, thumb brushing the inside of Noel’s wrist, a quiet, grounding touch.

"You know," he said softly, "no matter how busy things get... this—" he gestured between them, "—this is my favorite part of the day."

Noel’s expression gentled. He squeezed Luca’s hand, thumb tracing slow circles against his skin. "Mine too."

When dessert arrived, they shared it, laughing over stolen bites, leaning closer without even noticing the space disappearing between them.

By the time they stood to leave, Luca slipped his hand into Noel’s again without hesitation, lacing their fingers together as they walked out into the night—unrushed, unhidden, perfectly in sync.

The city lights reflected in the pavement as they headed toward the car, shoulders brushing, steps matched.

And for the first time in a long while, everything felt exactly where it was meant to be.

The car doors closed with a soft click, the city night humming faintly around them.

Luca slid behind the wheel, one hand resting casually on the steering wheel, the other finding Noel’s as he settled into the passenger seat.

Their fingers intertwined, warmth threading between them.

Noel’s head leaned slightly toward the window, humming low, almost quietly at first.

A soft tune, familiar, a little off-key—but charming all the same.

Luca raised an eyebrow, smirk tugging at his lips. "Is that... really you singing, or did the cat teach you?"

Noel shot him a mock glare. "Hey, I’m warming up. Don’t ruin my vibe."

Luca laughed, tapping his fingers against the wheel in rhythm. "Fine. But if we’re doing this, we’re doing it right."

And with that, he joined in, voice louder, joyfully off-beat.

Noel laughed, head thrown back, and soon they were both singing, voices bouncing off the car windows, completely untamed:

Noel: "I wanna hold your haaaaand, forever in the raaiiiin..."

Luca: "And dance through puddles, screaming your naaaaame!"

Noel: "We’ll ride in the moonlight, eat all the ice-creeeeam!"

Luca: "Trip on the sidewalk, but it’s a love-dreaaaam!"

Their laughter filled the car, loud and warm, fingers squeezing tighter together with every ridiculous line.

"You’re terrible," Noel gasped between laughs.

"No, ’you’re’ terrible," Luca shot back, grinning, voice cracking slightly at the high notes.

"You missed a verse," Noel said, mock-serious. "It’s... la la la, we’ll be together all the tiiiiime!"

"Of course I missed it! I was busy making it better!" Luca countered, exaggerating every note.

The engine hummed steadily as they drove through the glowing streets, the city lights streaking past.

They leaned toward each other, voices weaving in playful chaos, small corrections ignored in favor of pure, unfiltered joy.

Somewhere between the laughing, mis-sung lyrics and the brushing of knees, Luca’s thumb traced slow circles over Noel’s hand.

"You know," he said softly, voice dropping just enough to make Noel pause mid-hum, "I could do this forever."

Noel glanced at him, grin softening into something warmer. "Yeah.... Me too."

They sang together again, louder now, off-key but perfect in its own way:

Both: "I wanna hold your hand... trip on the sidewalk, scream your naaaaame... ice cream in the moonlight... love-dreaaaam forever!"

And the world outside? It could wait.

For tonight, the car, the laughter, and their hands locked together was all that mattered.