Sensory Overload

Chapter 11

The sun beamed into the room shining light on all the things that never get picked up off the floor. Mostly discarded mementos and clothing, the occasional plate or drink cup. Natsu was sleeping comfortably in his hammock his dreams were a mix of sparring, Igneel and Lucy. Toward the waking hours it was more Lucy than anything else. He dreamed of her sitting and writing at her desk with Happy in her lap playfully laughing as he tried to distract her. He was so happy and there was such a warmth in the dream that it took him a little longer than usual to realize someone was knocking on his door.

"Coming" he yelled as he rolled out of his hammock and brushed his fingers through his hair. He instinctually inhaled as he got closer to the door to see who was on the other side. Deep down he was really hoping it was Lucy, he needed to talk to her. He also wanted to see what her reaction would be to last nights incident, would he get a Lucy style beatdown or would she see him and blush with a knowing eye? To his dismay he didn't smell the Celestial Mage outside his door. Instead his nose was filled with a familiar delightful smell of delicate puffed pastry stuffed with a sweet tabasco cream filling. Only one person brings him these and that meant she was back. He opened the door wide with a smile "Mornin' Lisanna!"
"Good Morning Natsu, I'm sorry I woke you but I wanted to come by and tell you about my latest job and I figured you would be hungry so I brought you these for breakfast!" Lisanna pushed the box of pastries toward him with a gleeful smile. Natsu stepped aside and let her in. She surveyed the room with a wrinkle to her nose and asked "Lucy hasn't been by huh?"

"Nah, things are a little crazy right now - so hey how was your job?" Natsu was settling down on his couch with the tasty delicious fire puffs, motioning for her to come sit with him "Thanks for the pastry by the way!"

Lisanna flopped onto the couch facing him "Fresh baked this morning! What do you mean crazy? What did you burn down now?" She was excited to share her job, but Natsu's crazy stories were always far more entertaining.

"Hey! Why does something always have to burn down?" he said with falsely offended tone. She responded with a look that said 'oh come on'. He continued "Well, long story short, Lucy and I are currently under a Sensory Link spell." He held up his wrist to show her "This basically means we can feel each other's senses and feelings."

Lisanna's spread a familiar devious smile that she only shared with her older sister "So, each other's feelings huh? Like, what kind of feelings?"

Responding to her as he ate his delicious breakfast "Nothing... I don't know.... It's weird and confusing." He shrugged it off and got up from the couch to put the box on the counter.

"Natsu, this doesn't sound like nothing. Can we be frank here? We are friends after all and unlike everyone else in this guild, I don't tease you about your relationship with Lucy."

"That's just it Liss, it's not a 'relationship' we are partners and best friends, we are not intimately involved."

"That's where you're wrong silly. A relationship does not mean just a romantic one. Your partnership and friendship is a relationship and it is an intimate one, just not physically. You guys share an intimacy that is not rivaled by any other team... except Bisca and Alzack. You two just can't see it."

"So we're like a married couple without the sex?"

Lisanna blushed immensely at the question. "Sort of, I'm just saying that the two of you are so close that it's a wonder to everyone how you two have not turned it to a romantic relationship."

Natsu leaned his head down on the counter and let out a long sigh. He wanted advice and honestly, Lisanna was the only one he would go to outside of Lucy. They had been friends for so long and she was the only other person that didn't make him feel misunderstood. "About that, I need your advice Liss."