Limits |Noah Sebastian/ Bad Omens|

26: Canned wine.

The next morning rolled in, I could hear shuffling from upstairs as I stirred from my slumber, the bed beside me still warm. Glancing at the clock on my bedside, it read ten in the morning. Did I need to get out of bed? Part of me still didn't feel up to facing anything today, especially after the events of yesterday. My exe's voice filtered my mind. 'You better not be pregnant; I know you have been sleeping around!' Cringing at the memory, I looked at Noah who slumbered soundly beside me, what time had he gone to bed? This was nothing like my ex, if it were my ex he would have screamed at me all night or even woken me up in a drunk rage demanding what ever it was he wanted or needed, and I was never the one to sleep around, he was.
Going to slide out of bed, I felt arms wrap around my middle before pulling me back under the blankets, Noah cuddling into my back as he nuzzled my neck. "I told you I'd be here all night," his voice sending shivers down my spine.

Smiling to myself, I turned over to face him as he blinked slowly a few times, trying to wake himself up some more. "You did. . . I thought you would have snuck out" I said holding the side of his face gently in my hand.

His eyes at last fully opened, he seemed tired still as his warm brown eyes looked into my own. "I'm not leaving, if you need me here I will be here" he said gently looking at me.

Knocking on my door before the handle jiggled. Sitting straight up, both of us alert as Nick's voice came from the other side of the door. "Faith? Your doors locked, are you okay?" Nick asked from the other side.

Eyes widening I looked at Noah who seemed to pale at the voice. "Get in my closet and stay quiet" I motioned to him. I don't know he did it, but the man that was over six foot somehow managed to shrink himself into my closet enough I could close the door behind him and check to make sure he didn't leave his phone on the bedside or even his wallet.

"You awake?" Nick asked again, knocking a bit heavier as if trying to wake me or make sure I was awake.

"I'm awake Nick" I swung my door opened to see my brother up and dressed for the day, his eyes scanned my room behind me before meeting mine. "Sorry, I am still cramping" I said which wasn't entirely a lie—they just weren't as painful as the night before. "What do you need?" I asked pulling his thoughts away from my problems.

Nick eyed me over before nodding his head, "I made breakfast for everyone, wanted to see if you were okay and let you know" he was like our mother like that. If something was wrong with Nick or myself, she would go out of her way to make sure we knew we had her, even making food as a comfort gesture towards the troubles.

"Sure. . . I'll be right up" I said going to close my door.

"Hey, have you seen Noah?" he asked, my heart stopped as I glanced at Nick. There was no way he knew, he was too calm to know. Looking at the downstairs bathroom, the door was closed. The basement bathroom only really had a toilet and a sink since no one could be bothered to fix the shower.

"Ugh yeah he crashed on the couch down here last night, was watching some anime I'm not sure—but I think he is in the bathroom" Nick glanced at the door, nodding his head not even questioning me. "Let me get dressed and I will be right up" his attention turned back to me, a smile on his face as he headed back to where I could hear the others laughing.

Closing my bedroom door, I swung my closet door open seeing Noah standing there—he stepped out as he looked at the door. "That was close" he said.

"Yeah, just a little bit. I told him you were in the bathroom" Noah nodded.

"Maybe we should tell him?" he asked softly.

The thought alone churned my stomach. I knew we needed to, but I also needed time to enjoy something, after four years of hell I needed something good in my life and if I told Nick I knew that good thing would come crumbling down. "N-Noah, I'm. . . I'm not ready, I need something good in my life, I don't. . . I don't think I can handle that just yet; I want to feel good for a little while longer" my words were becoming rushed.

Sensing the panic in my voice, Noah pulled me into him, shushing me soothingly as he rubbed my back. "Okay—don't worry, we will tell him when you are ready, but we do need to tell him" he kissed the top of my head.

"We will, I know we will I just. . . I need to work on something first" he arched a brow. "There is stuff about myself I think I need to sort," Noah didn't question me. Opening my door to make sure the coast was clear, I signaled him to exit to go upstairs. Noah sliding past me, leant down placing his lips softly on my own before heading for the stairs.

It didn't take me long to get changed into something. I wore black jeans and a loose fitted shirt as my hair was tied into a messy bun on-top of my head, enough I could be comfy and still get some of my work done which was mainly just getting back to emails.
Getting into the kitchen, Jolly, Nicholas and Nick all sat at the wooden table as Jamie and Noah both were plating their own food—Jamie looking ready for her day at work, she would be filming a podcast episode today as far as I knew. One she was pretty excited about. "Was worried you went back to bed" Nick said chewing on his food, almost done his breakfast.

"Tempting but I do have some emails I need to get done today, easy workday ahead for me" I poured myself some juice before taking a sip. Looking at Nick, I knew he was heading out today. "Where are you going to, tonight exactly since you won't be home until tomorrow?" he had told me about it a few days ago but I hadn't paid enough attention, still being love drunk on the third date with Noah.

"Fishing, night out at the cabin—these two are coming with me, that one," he pointed at Noah, "didn't want to come have a cool time with us" Nick acted offended but playing it off with a smile on his face.

Noah sipping his coffee only shrugged, "I think would rather work on some music, plus Jamie offered to do a podcast if she had time" he gestured between them.

"Don't hold me to it, but I'd like to try—just swamped with my schedule" she admitted taking a bite of her food she had packed into a container, "right, I need to go" she went to Nick kissing his cheek. "I love you, see you tomorrow!" everyone in the room froze as those words left her mouth.
Her face reddened as sensing what she had just said, not even thinking Jamie carried on her steps almost rushing out the door.

"Did. . . Did she say she loved me?" Nick swallowed looking at everyone that remained in the room. "Guys, say something!" he was freaking out.

Placing my drink down, I nodded my head—my brothers eyes meeting my own. "Yes, Nick yes she did. . . I mean, you two have been dating for a while" they had been dating for a while now.

"Do. . . Do you think she means it?" his eyes fixed on the door where Jamie had just left.

"I think you are freaking yourself out" countered Noah who once again sipped his coffee, "do you feel that way for her?" he asked, gently trying to make sure he didn't set off anything.

Nick's eyes found Noah and I standing together, as a smile spread on his face before rubbing his chin. "She loves me" he said, "of course I love her—I didn't think she would be the first one to say it" he seemed pretty surprised.

"Well, she beat you to it" I said.

Looking at me, his eyes softened. "Can you keep an eye on her?" he seemed worried about the girl he might have scared off.

Nodding my head, he seemed to relax.
Making my way into my office, I worked on my emails and even edited a bit of a podcast Jamie had sent me, when asking if she was okay she dodged the question and said thanks for editing. Nick, Nicholas, and Jolly all left for the guy's night away while Jamie was at work and Noah working on music upstairs, his bedroom door open so every now and then I could hear something he was working on.
Closing my computer, I grabbed my car keys before heading out—I needed to get something for Jamie.

The drive wasn't too long, stopping at a bookstore I grabbed myself a few new books to check out, as well as the funniest cover of a smutty romance novel for both Jamie and me, she read these trashy things as well as I did—maybe we could make a joke out of it.
Paying the cashier seemed nervous when seeing the two smutty books I had chosen but ultimately not saying anything.
Once I had those secured, I made my way to a liquor store, browsing the aisles until I found something that would fit the theme of what I was going for. Grabbing two cans of wine—never seeing a wine in a can, I didn't know what to expect but it was going to be an adventure. Phone buzzing as I was entering the last store to get us some snacks, I looked at the screen seeing Noah. "Hey, everything okay?" I asked picking up the.

"Yeah, I was wondering where you went—I came to ask you something and you were gone" his voice a little worried on the other side of the phone.

Smiling to myself as I grabbed some snacks, before checking out I couldn't help but feel admired by Noah. "I am at the store, what did you need to ask me?" climbing back into the car setting my phone down on speaker.

Shuffling on his end, "I was wondering if you wanted to go on a date tonight, since the guys are out?" he seemed nervous to ask.

As much as I wanted to, I let out a sad sigh. "I need a raincheck. I have this thing planned for me and Jamie, I think she needs some girl time after what was said this morning" Noah seemed to understand, "I will be home in a few minutes though, if you'd like, we can make some lunch together. . . I am pretty hungry, and she isn't off for another few hours."

Noah chuckled, a sound sending chills through my body. "See you in a few minutes" he said before hanging up.
The drive home wasn't long, as I carried in the bag containing everything I needed for the night with Jamie, placing it on the counter my eyes widened as I saw Noah had put out a small spread of appetizers almost before him. "Lunch seemed important, so I made these" he gestured to the food in front of him.

Taking a seat at the counter, I smiled up at my boyfriend. . . God I'd never get used to that, my boyfriend. The thought alone had me blushing like a teenager who had a crush. "Thank you" I said as he placed a small plate in front of me, leaning against the counter with his own. "I got Jamie something I hope will cheer her up" I said showing Noah the trashy novels, his eyes widened as began coughing from inhaling his food wrong, a small chuckle escaping my lips.

"You bought her a trashy romance novel?" he said grabbing the book from my hand, skimming the pages his eyes widened as his brows lifted at whatever he saw inside.

"I bought us trashy romance novels, and of course what way to top trashy romance novels than. . ." holding the canned wine, Noah seemed confused as he grabbed it to read. "We are going to have a trashy-girls-night, eat some snacks and pray to god that wine doesn't kill us" Noah smiled placing the stuff on the counter, his eyes meeting mine and the smile genuine. "What?" I asked feeling my own smile matching his.

Shaking his head, he seemed to play with his food for a moment unsure of what to say. "Nothing, nothing," he started. "Just can't get over how much you care for others, but same time you don't care this deeply for yourself?" he seemed nervous at the end.

Smile fading off my face, I placed everything back in the bag, clearing my throat. "I do care for myself" but he was right, not as much as I cared for those around me.

Brow's furrowing, his eyes softened as he said, "Fae, if you were having a bad day would you have gone and done this for yourself?" he gestured to the bag between us. Opening and closing my mouth, I didn't know what to say. "Did he hurt you that bad?" the question struck me deep.

Grabbing the bag, I looked at Noah with a pained expression, one that I never wanted to make. "I need to get this ready for Jamie. I'll see you later" I said.

Noah knowing I needed a breather, nodded his head. "Of course, I'll be here when you're ready."

As I made my way to the Nick's and Jamies room. My phone buzzed, expecting it to be Noah I froze in the doorway I needed as I looked at the message, it wasn't from Noah—it was from my ex.
'You looked good in that shirt, jeans still fit perfectly too.'

He saw me. My ex saw me, what was he doing in town? Hearing shuffling I looked to see Noah who had a concerned look on his face as he stood in his doorway, as If wanting to ask me why I looked so pale.
Without thinking, I closed Nick's door as I placed my phone down on the bedside, I couldn't think of this right now, I needed to not think about it.

Setting up a candle on each side of the bed, I lit them as I placed the bag on the bed and waited for Jamie. It didn't take long before my friend slid through the door, gasping placing a hand on her heart as she looked at me in her and my brother's bed. "Faith, you nearly gave me a heart attack" she said as she placed her purse down, looking at me. Her purple hair was fading but it still complimented her tanned skin tone. "What are you doing in here?"

"Being your friend, duh" she looked at me and then the candles and bag in the room with us. "You said something pretty heavy, and from what you have told me—those words don't come lightly, so we are going to unwind together like the best friends we are, we are going to change into sweats and what ever gross shirt we have, and we are going to have a trashy-girls-night" I smiled.

"A trashy-girls-night?" she seemed confused. The smile on my face bloomed as I nodded my head, pulling out the two romance novels I had grabbed today, her eyes widened as a snort escaped her throat grabbing the books from my hands. "Faith Folio, you never fail to amaze me" she laughed.

"Wait, it gets better" she seemed so shocked at those words. "I got these" pulling out the canned wine, her laugh emitted through the room, a sound so beautiful I truly was so glad to hear. "Now, I am going to get changed you get changed and I will be right back" she nodded, seemingly excited for the next journey of our night.

Changing quickly into a crew neck I had for years and some simple sweats, I looked at the shirt I wore—it was a shirt I wore many times with my ex. Shaking the memory from my head, I tossed the shirt in my garbage bin before heading to Jamie who already seemed comfy, her hair in a bun much like my own.
Crawling into bed with her, we each grabbed a novel, reading out the cringiest points of the story to one another for hours, our laughter echoing through the room as we opened the wine and sipped it. "This is disgusting!" I said looking at the wine in our hands.

Jamie nodding her head in agreement gestured to the books though. "Oh and these aren't?" she looked at the books on our laps.

"Oh god, those are terrible too don't you worry, but I am glad these are helping you" she smiled softly. "He loves you too, I don't know if you know that, but he does" it wasn't hard to tell how much he was smitten by her.

She placed her book on the bedside, a bookmark in her book as I did the same on mine. It wasn't reading time, she needed me. "It is scary, I never said those words so openly before—you saw my ex-girlfriend at the club that night, she was one of the only few I ever said those words to, and she used them against me" Jamie seemed defeated telling me this.

Grabbing her hand in mine, I squeezed it gently. "I know it is hard, but never forget that I also love you, you're family to me even if you and Nick broke up, do you hear me Jamie?" she nodded her head, "we both can have shitty exes, least yours didn't text you telling you that you looked good today" Jamies eyes widened. "I don't know how he even knows my number; I don't even know why he is in town. Maybe I am that unlucky" she shrugged not knowing what to say.

"You can always tell Nick, I am sure he would happily beat the shit out of your ex."

"He would kill my ex for what he did to me, he will break anyone's fingers who dare lay a hand wrong on me, but I don't want him to know. I can't handle the thought of him breaking thinking he failed me" she understood as she patted my leg.

"Then let's work all of this out together, just us and our trashy novels and shit tasting wine" she cheers my wine as she and I both took a god-awful mouthful.

"To us and our trashy novels" I said. "I will also never be buying this wine again" the taste was truly horrible.

"I am sure we can handle it again" her voice joked.
But I don't know how much I could handle, and that wasn't meaning the wine.