Dear Roommate Please Stop Being Hot [BL] Chapter 28: Less Like Roommates,Almost, Maybe, Something

The tray settled on the table, steam rising gently from their dishes, and without wasting ti, Luca grabbed his spoon.

"Let’s dig in," he said, already scooping his first bite.

Noel followed, a quiet nod as he reached for his chopsticks.

For a while, the only sounds between them were clinking utensils and the low murmur of the restaurant around them.

Midway through his third bite, Luca spoke, tone casual but clear.

"You know... if I didn’t have a roommate, I’d probably never finish any of my assignnts."

Noel didn’t look up.

Then Luca added, "I think I’m getting used to you being around ."

Noel froze.

The words landed too suddenly—too close. His throat caught mid-swallow, triggering a sudden cough, one hand hitting his chest.

He choked.

Coughing hard, Noel reached for his glass, but before he could, Luca shifted closer and picked up the glass himself.

Without hesitation, Luca reached over, guiding the glass to Noel’s lips like it was second nature—too calm, too close.

"Here. Drink this—open."Luca pressed the glass gently to Noel’s lips, trying to feed him like a child.

Noel jerked back, cheeks flushed. "W–what are you doing?"

Luca looked entirely unbothered. "Helping. You’re choking."

"I can do it myself," Noel muttered, taking the glass with shaky hands,"I’m not a kid!

"Fine," Luca said, pulling back. "Just don’t die on in a noodle shop."

That’s too much drama for one dinner."

Noel sipped the water slowly, his heart still racing, not from choking this ti—but from the way Luca had looked at him. Calm. Close. Almost too close.

He peeked at him, only to find Luca already back to eating like nothing had happened.though the corners of his mouth twitched like he was holding back a laugh.

Noel watched him for a mont, still a little breathless. The way he focused on his plate, like food was the only thing that mattered.

And that—sohow—made it worse.

Noel found himself smiling, helplessly.

A few minutes passed, and then Luca caught him staring.

"What?"

Noel blinked. "Nothing."

Luca narrowed his eyes. "Why are you smiling like that?"

Noel cleared his throat. "You eat like a baby."

Luca smirked. "Says the guy who can’t survive one complint without choking."

Touché.

Noel shook his head, laughing softly, and focused back on his food—though his chest still carried the warmth of earlier, quiet and persistent.

Luca leaned back slightly in his chair, watching Noel try to hide his grin behind the rim of his cup. "You know," he said between bites, "I don’t think I’ve ever seen you laugh like that."

Noel paused, setting the cup down slowly. "Like what?"

"Like..." Luca tapped his chopsticks against the bowl, thinking. "Like you weren’t overthinking it."

Noel rolled his eyes but couldn’t keep the smile from his lips. "Maybe I’m just tired."

"Or maybe you’re finally getting used to ," Luca said, tone light but eyes too sharp, watching him closely.

Noel picked at the rice in his bowl, not answering right away. "You’re not exactly forgettable."

Luca chuckled. "I’ll take that as a complint."

"It wasn’t," Noel muttered, but it ca out too soft, too late, and Luca was already smirking like he’d won sothing.

Another minute passed in silence. The restaurant buzzed with quiet conversations and the clatter of dishes, but between them, things felt... different. Less like roommates, more like sothing undefined. Teetering.

Luca tilted his head. "So... wanna do this again soti?"

Noel blinked. "What? Dinner?"

"No." Luca grinned. " watching you nearly die at the table. Good entertainnt."

Noel gave him a flat look. "You’re unbelievable."

"And you’re easy to fluster," Luca said, standing with his tray. "Co on. Let’s go before I make you choke again."

Noel followed, tray in hand, heart beating a little too fast.

He didn’t say no.

They stepped out into the cool evening air, the sky soft with fading light, streetlamps just starting to flicker on.

Luca walked a step ahead, hands in his pockets, glancing at Noel every now and then like he was thinking of sothing but hadn’t decided whether to say it.

Noel stayed quiet for a while, watching the sidewalk, the occasional fallen leaf crunching under their shoes.

"You’re weirdly quiet," Luca said eventually.

"I’m always quiet," Noel replied.

"Yeah, but now it feels like you’re thinking too much."

"I’m not."

"You are."

Noel glanced at him, brow raised. "Do you want to start choking again just to distract you?"

Luca snorted. "Tempting."

They walked a few more steps in silence before Noel spoke again. "It was nice... dinner, I an."

Luca looked over at him. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," Noel said, then after a second, added, "Even if you almost drowned with that glass."

Luca grinned. "I said thank you. Feeding you was part of the gratitude package."

Noel laughed softly, shaking his head. "You’re ridiculous."

"Yet you’re still walking beside ."

Noel didn’t answer that. He just kept walking, the corner of his mouth tugged up, heart traitorously warm.

As they reached the dorm steps, Luca slowed.

"Wanna work together again tonight? That is—if you’re not too busy."

Noel looked at him, trying to read what was behind the casual tone.

"...Sure," he said finally. "If you promise not to feed again."

"No promises," Luca said with a smirk, and together, they climbed the stairs.

As they reached their floor, Noel suddenly turned to Luca, eyebrows slightly raised.

"Did you submit your assignnt to the prof?"

Luca froze mid-step. "Wait—what?"

"The assignnt. The one due today."

Luca blinked, then frantically pulled out his phone. His eyes widened. "Oh, shit—it’s almost six."

Noel crossed his arms, watching him with sothing between disbelief and amusent. "You forgot?"

"I—I thought the deadline was midnight!" Luca spun around toward the room. "Crap, crap, crap—"

"Run," Noel said flatly.

Luca was already halfway to their door. "This is your fault! You distracted !"

"How?"

"You were choking! I was trying to save your life!"

Noel snorted, walking after him. "You were trying to feed like a toddler."

Luca shoved open the door, already scrambling for his laptop. "This is not the ti for sass, Noel!"

Noel leaned against the doorfra, watching Luca type furiously. "You better hope the Wi-Fi cooperates."

Luca shot him a glare while clicking through submission links. "If I miss this deadline, I’m haunting your future children."

"You’re assuming I’ll have kids."

Luca mumbled sothing unintelligible, then finally let out a breath of relief. "Submitted. With three minutes to spare."

"Impressive," Noel said, pushing off the wall. "Maybe next ti, put reminders on your phone."

Luca collapsed onto the bed. "You’re way too calm about this."

Noel shrugged, trying not to smile. "I already submitted mine yesterday."

Luca groaned, dragging a pillow over his face. "Of course you did."

Noel stood there for a second longer, watching the way Luca peeked out from under the pillow, cheeks flushed from panic and adrenaline, he check the fridge nothing, just yoghurt and lettuce.

Then he turned away—before he stared too long.

Noel paused at the doorway, glanced back.

"I’ll get us so water."

Don’t choke," Luca mumbled, half-asleep under the pillow.

Noel grinned. "No promises.

This ti, Noel let himself laugh as he stepped out of the room.