Dear Roommate Please Stop Being Hot [BL]-Chapter 230: Always, Again

Luca set the last takeout box on the counter.

The apartment settled into silence except for the soft drip of water from the bathroom.

He moved into the bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed, hands loosely folded in his lap.

The bathroom door clicked open.

Noel stepped out, towel draped across his shoulders, damp hair clinging to his neck.

His eyes found Luca immediately.

"Did I take too long?"

"Not at all." Luca patted the bed beside him. "Come here."

Noel hesitated, then stepped closer. As he lowered himself onto the bed, Luca shifted to give him room, their shoulders brushing.

"You’re careful," Noel murmured, the towel slipping slightly.

"Careful?" Luca raised an eyebrow. "I’ve got to protect my investment."

Noel blinked, then laughed quietly. "Investment?"

"Yes." Luca let his fingers graze the back of Noel’s hand. "You. Worth every bit of care."

The words hung in the air.

Noel shifted closer, his head brushing against Luca’s shoulder, eyes half-closed as the day’s tension slowly unwound.

Luca’s hand found Noel’s wrist, fingers lacing gently. "Relax. No deadlines here. Just us."

"Just us," Noel repeated, voice almost a sigh.

The cat padded over and settled against Noel’s side, tail curling around them both.

Luca squeezed Noel’s hand once—a promise without words.

For a long moment, there was only the soft hum of the apartment, the gentle rise and fall of their breaths.

"Sleep if you want," Luca murmured. "I’ll be right here."

Noel nestled closer. "I like this."

"Me too."

Noel shifted, the warmth of the bed and Luca beside him seeping into every tense muscle.

He let out a soft sigh.

Luca stayed still, hands resting lightly on the blanket. "You okay?"

Noel nodded without opening his eyes. "Yeah. I’m good. Here."

"That’s all I want." Luca brushed his thumb across the back of Noel’s hand. "Just here. That’s enough."

The apartment fell into quiet.

The cat purred softly, curling closer.

Outside, the city hummed faintly, streetlights blinking in rhythm with the night.

Inside, only their breathing marked time.

Noel finally let his head rest fully against Luca’s shoulder, curling into the curve of him.

Luca shifted to let him settle comfortably, their arms brushing lightly.

"Goodnight," Noel whispered.

"Goodnight. Sleep well."

Little by little, eyelids drooped, breaths evened, and the night carried them both into sleep.

Outside, the city kept moving, but in that small apartment, the world felt paused.

The night had slipped quietly into morning, leaving the city wrapped in that soft, silvery calm that exists before rush hour claims it.

By the time Noel and Luca reached the lobby, the first gold streaks of sunlight were already touching the marble floor.

The faint hum of the air conditioner mingled with the distant whir of elevators, and the smell of freshly brewed coffee hung thick in the air — rich, comforting, almost too inviting for such an early hour.

The lobby smelled of fresh coffee and polished floors.

Noel and Luca stepped inside, coffee cups warming their hands, early sunlight spilling through the glass doors.

"You ready for today?" Luca asked, a small smirk tugging at his lips.

Noel took a careful sip, eyes half-closed in contentment. "I was born ready... or at least awake enough."

Luca chuckled, nudging him lightly. "I’ll take that as a yes."

They walked together toward the elevators.

Inside, the metallic doors slid shut with a soft ding.

"Third floor, your’s" Noel said.

"Yup, mine." Luca pressed the button. "Gotta make sure everyone’s still alive and caffeinated."

Noel raised an eyebrow. "Ah, the great Luca check-in. Sounds terrifying."

"Terrifying? Maybe for those who forget their morning coffee."

They exchanged quiet laughter as the elevator hummed upward.

Finally, the ding of the third floor.

Luca stepped aside, holding the door.

"See you later," he said softly, his glance lingering just a second too long.

"Don’t work too hard," Noel murmured, smiling faintly as Luca disappeared down the hallway.

The elevator continued its gentle climb to the fourth floor.

Noel exhaled, letting the calm from Luca’s presence linger for just a moment before work greeted him.

Luca stepped into his office.

Bella stood near the table, tablet in hand, glancing up with a teasing smile.

Camila and Wei Chen worked together, quietly murmuring over documents.

Liam leaned over the long table, finishing notes, eyes flicking toward the doorway.

Luca’s boots clicked softly against the floor. "Good morning, everyone."

Bella’s grin widened. "Well, someone’s in a good mood today."

Camila smiled softly. "Looks like the morning worked its magic."

Liam straightened, giving Luca a nod. "Coffee in hand, safe and sound. That’s progress."

Wei Chen raised an eyebrow. "You do seem unusually chipper today, Luca. What’s your secret?" 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

"Secret?" Luca shrugged, a playful glint in his eyes. "Let’s just say life’s treating me kindly this morning."

Bella rolled her eyes but laughed quietly, tapping on her tablet. "Alright, Mr. Sunshine, let’s see if that mood survives the day."

The small group exchanged quiet chuckles as Luca sank into the morning rhythm, his presence steady and easy.

The office door swung open, and Georgia stepped in, crisp and professional.

"Morning, team," she said, scanning the room.

"Good morning, boss," Luca called. "Or should I say, fearless leader?"

Georgia arched an eyebrow, lips twitching. "Careful, Luca. Keep that charm in check today. I’ve got work to assign."

"Charm fully contained," he replied, though the smirk lingered.

She let her gaze linger on him for a beat before turning to the team. "Alright, here’s the plan. Camila, Liam, and Bella, you’ll handle the market research reports. Make sure the numbers are clean and concise. No rushing."

Bella tilted her head, tablet ready. "Copy that, boss."

Camila and Liam nodded, already shifting into their tasks.

Georgia turned toward Luca and Wei Chen. "You two—coordinate the client presentation prep. Make sure everything flows logically, and double-check the slides. I want no mistakes."

Luca leaned back slightly, fingers tapping on his cup. "Logical flow, double-checked, mistakes erased from existence. Got it, boss." He winked.

Wei Chen smirked faintly, shaking his head. "You really do love teasing her, don’t you?"

Luca shrugged. "Only when I’m in a good mood. And trust me, today’s mood is immaculate."

Georgia’s lips quirked into a faint smile, but her voice remained firm. "Immaculate mood or not, I expect professionalism. Get to it."

"Yes, boss," Luca said, more sincere this time, sliding smoothly into work mode.

The team spread out across the office.

Bella and Camila exchanged quiet observations about the reports, Liam quietly taking notes, while Luca and Wei Chen bent over the slides, discussing layouts and phrasing in low tones.

Luca leaned over the laptop, fingers hovering above the keyboard. Wei Chen pointed at a chart.

"See here," Wei Chen murmured, "the client might question the projection for Q3. Maybe add a footnote?"

Luca nodded. "Footnote, check. Maybe even a little graph to back it up. Make it look less scary."

Wei Chen smirked. "Less scary? You make everything sound dramatic."

"That’s my charm," Luca said lightly, tapping the screen. "Keeps everyone on their toes."

Across the room, Bella and Camila whispered over the reports, shuffling pages carefully.

Liam stood slightly back, occasionally jotting notes, occasionally glancing at his teammates.

"You’re going a little fast there," Bella murmured to Camila, nudging a page back. "We need accuracy before speed."

Camila laughed softly. "I know. But Luca’s energy is contagious. Can’t help it."

Bella rolled her eyes but smiled, shaking her head as she carefully went over the numbers again.

From across the table, Luca caught the tail end of that comment and smirked faintly. "See? Even the others can’t resist the pull of a well-managed presentation," he muttered to Wei Chen, who only shook his head.

"Focus," Wei Chen said dryly, though a small smile tugged at his lips.

Luca leaned back in his chair, taking a slow sip of coffee.

His gaze swept the team—Bella’s careful attention, Camila’s quiet focus, Liam’s methodical movements.

There was a rhythm to them, a silent harmony that made the morning feel less like work and more like a shared space of effort and care.

A soft ping from Luca’s laptop drew his attention. A notification: *Noel, just checking in.* He smiled faintly, typing a short reply: *All under control. See you later.*

"Almost done here," Luca murmured to Wei Chen. "Just need to fine-tune the last couple of slides."

Wei Chen leaned over. "We should double-check the charts against the raw numbers again. You know how picky Georgia can get."

Luca nodded. "Don’t worry. I’ve got this. And if she does give me a look... well, at least I’m prepared with charm."

Wei Chen let out a quiet laugh. "You really are impossible sometimes."

"Completely impossible," Luca agreed, smirking, though his hands moved deftly over the keyboard.

The team moved steadily, deliberate, gentle teasing and soft focus intertwined, the day flowing without rush, each person in their own space but connected by the quiet pulse of collaboration.