Night_Dream_Ben

Beneath the Same Roof
A BL Novel by: Night_Dream_Ben

Kael Reyes just wanted peace. Scarred by a past he keeps buried and haunted by people he tried to outrun, all he needed was a quiet roof over his head and no one digging too deep. But peace is a fragile thing.

Enter Riven Sato—sharp-tongued, effortlessly magnetic, and completely off-limits. What starts as a reluctant cohabitation under the watchful eye of Riven's aunt, Ms. Sato, slowly unravels into something much deeper, messier, and dangerously intimate.

Between rushed mornings, late-night bickering, and moments of unexpected softness, the line between friendship and something more begins to blur. But when ghosts from Riven’s past—especially one ex who doesn’t know how to let go—come crashing into their fragile haven, Kael and Riven are forced to confront the truth:

Love isn’t always gentle. It’s raw, it’s real—and sometimes, it burns.

As secrets surface and hearts collide, Kael and Riven must learn whether love born beneath the same roof can survive the storms that threaten to tear it all down.

"Beneath the Same Roof"

Kael wasn't sure when the silence between him and Riven had started to feel different. Not awkward. Not tense. Just… loaded.

Like words were hovering between them, waiting for permission to exist.

That night, they were both lying in their beds, lights off, ceiling fan spinning slowly above them. The only sound was the hum of Riven's playlist playing low from his phone—some soft instrumental shit that Kael didn't expect him to like.

"Hey," Kael said suddenly, voice cutting through the dark.

"You ever think about... y'know. Us. Living together."

Riven's bed creaked as he shifted. "Like what? Regret it?"

Kael snorted. "No. I mean—it's weird, right? Two dudes who barely knew each other, now sharing a fucking room. Kinda intimate."

Riven answered, "You're the one who talks in his sleep, man. You're the intimate one."

"Last week, you said 'snuggle me, bastard' in your sleep."

Kael groaned and covered his face. "You're making that up."

"Nope. It was right after you called me 'hot boy trouble.'"

Riven laughed quietly. Like, actually laughed. It sounded rare and real and completely unfair to Kael's heart.

"I hate you," Kael mumbled, still covering his face.

Kael peeked out from under his arm. "You sound real confident about that."

"Because if you did, you'd sleep on the couch."

Kael was quiet for a second. "True."

Then Kael added, "I don't hate you."

Riven's voice was softer now. "I know."

The fan spun on. Music kept playing. Kael didn't know why his chest felt tight—like something big was happening even though nothing was being said.

"You ever get that feeling?" Kael murmured. "Like something's changing, but you're too scared to name it."

Then: "Yeah. Feels like a punch in the gut and a warm blanket at the same time."

Kael rolled over, facing the wall. "Exactly."

"Whatever it is you're feeling… don't force it. But don't run from it, either."

Kael's eyes stung, but he blinked it away. "When did you get so damn wise?"

Riven chuckled. "Been through enough shit to fake it."

Ch. 9: The Space Between