The bathroom door opened with a soft click, and Noel stepped out, steam curling around his ankles like mist drifting from a forest.
His hair was damp, the ends dripping lightly onto the towel he was rubbing through it.
He scanned the room once—instinctively—and his eyes landed on Luca.
Luca was sitting on the couch, elbows on his knees, fingers idly stroking the cat who had sprawled beside him.
He looked up the second Noel appeared.
"I'm done," Noel said, voice low, warm from the shower. "Go ahead."
Luca nodded. "Okay."
They shared a brief look—quiet, heavy but gentle—before Luca stood and brushed past him toward the bathroom.
Their shoulders didn't touch, but the nearness sparked a small flicker in Noel's chest anyway.
The door closed behind Luca.
Noel exhaled.
The apartment was too still.
Too full of the things he wasn't saying yet.
Too full of what he had to say when Luca came back out.
He set the towel on the counter and rolled up his sleeves.
They hadn't eaten.
