So, you know those moments when Natsu gets overly protective (of basically anyone, but he seems to get particularly protective of Lucy…hehehe), or gets pissed off for no reason (but it's totally a legitimate reason to him)? Yeah, me too, they happen all the freaking time. So…what do you think happens when a highly protective big brother walks in on his little sister (who he's been protecting forever) and his biggest rival/frenemy in the guild?

Nothing good.

Plus it doesn't help that *cough* *cough* a certain parental figure *cough* *cough* is hanging out right where he can see this going down. Hey give me some props, I'm trying to avoid spoiling for people who take their sweet time reading or watching, and haven't gotten caught up yet.

So, this is what I figure would happen. Kinda OOC, but...it happens two years before the canon, so give me a little leeway here.

Gruvia shippers, you're welcome. Everyone else, I'm sorry.

Natsu's P.O.V.

Happy and I just got back from another job, and I'm still feeling a little nauseous from the train ride. Damn it…I hate trains… I hate all vehicles… At least I got back early this time, managed to skip a whole train ride too. But as I'm walking into the guild hall, I freeze, almost literally. Normally, I would loudly announce my return to the entire guild, then go looking for my sister.

Not today…

I see straight through the guild's regulars and into one of the corners, to a table that's been pushed almost out of sight, and see something I really wish I hadn't. Because it sends my protective instincts into overdrive in two seconds flat.

Gray is so…dead.

I storm into the hall and Lisanna catches sight of me, grabbing onto my arm quickly and pulling me over to the bar and out of earshot. "Hey Natsu! I didn't hear you come back… How did your job go?"

"Let go of me, Lisanna…" I try to suppress the growl in my voice, and fail miserably. "I'm going to kill him."

"Ah…please don't…" Lisanna gives me her friendliest smile, while tugging insistently on my arm. "Come on…it wouldn't be nice to make someone clean up the blood you know."

Happy tries to calm me down as well, but it's not working at all. "Come on Natsu…is it really that bad for her to love Gray?"

"Yeah it is!" Happy just doesn't get that protecting Ciara from perverts is part of my job as her big brother. And Gray most definitely qualifies as a pervert, the biggest pervert I've ever met. He'll strip anywhere, anytime, and feel no shame. "I don't care if I get blood everywhere. That bastard is going to pay for this." He's wrong for her, I know it.

Lisanna keeps holding me back. "But Natsu…it's her choice. You really shouldn't interfere. Besides, the two of them look really good together. They seem happy."

"Like hell! I don't care if they look good together or not! I am not letting him take advantage of my sister like that!" I tear my arm from her grasp and storm over to where Gray is sitting. He and Ciara are in a serious lip-lock.

He's got my sister in his lap, and his hands are in just about every place that they shouldn't be. "Hey pervert! If you get your hands off my sister in the next three seconds, I won't charcoal your ass!" Flames envelop my right fist as my anger spikes. "One…two…"

The pervert glares at me and stops kissing my sister. "What do you want, flame-brain? Can't you see we're busy?" He may have stopped kissing her, but his hands are still all over her. And I don't like that one bit.

"Oh, I can see that. And that's the problem!" I grab Ciara's arm and yank her off Gray's lap and into my arms, protecting her from him. "What the hell do you think you're doing!? I never said that you could touch her!"

"Natsu, what the hell?" Ciara beats her fists against my shoulders and pushes herself out of my grip, backing away from me as though I'm the problem here. "He wasn't doing anything wrong! If he was, I would have punched him through the floor."

Wasn't doing anything wrong!? I try to contain my anger, but it's all spilling out like a wildfire. "How long has this been going on?"

Ciara glares at me, obviously unhappy with how I barged in on their alone time. "Three months. Is that a problem?"

Three months!? She's been doing this without telling me for three whole months? How the hell did she hide it? "Are you stupid or something!? Of everyone in the guild, why did it have to be that pervert!? And how could you not tell me!?" I should have been able to find out about this. Our emotions and thoughts are linked, so even if we're not trying to send thoughts to each other, they can leak over the connection anyway. The only way that she could have hidden this is if she was hiding her thoughts from me. And she never hides her thoughts from me!

But instead of giving me the answers I want, she just gets even angrier. "Natsu! Who I decide to spend time with is none of your business! And neither is what I decide to do during that time! So back the hell off and stop sticking your nose where it isn't wanted!"

Ciara's P.O.V.

I am livid. Enraged. Furious.

Not only has Natsu barged in on a moment between me and Gray, but he did it in front of the entire guild. Though I guess that I shouldn't have expected any less of him, considering his personality, but he could have at least had the decency to argue with me about this when there was no one around. Instead, he's gotten into this whole mess in front of everyone. He's never embarrassed me like this before. His usual antics, I can handle. But this? This has crossed the line.

A reaction like this is exactly why I insisted that we keep it quiet for a while. I was going to break it to Natsu gently, and in private. But Natsu wasn't supposed to be back for another two days. I never expected him to walk in on this. Especially since we were hidden well enough that no one else noticed us. And it couldn't have happened at a worse time. It's taken this long for us to even get properly comfortable with each other. Thanks to Natsu, all of that progress has been thrown out the window.

I grab Natsu by the scarf. Yes, the scarf. The one thing that no one is allowed to touch, ever, and I use it to drag his face right in front of mine. "What the hell do you think you're playing at? I never asked you to interfere in my private life! So why do you insist on trying to protect me when I don't need you to protect me!? I keep telling you that I'm not a kid anymore, so stop treating me like one!"

Natsu's eyebrows scrunch together in confusion, then he looks over my shoulder and glares at Gray. "Why him?"

His question astonishes me more than anything else. "Why him?" My fist tightens on his scarf and my glare goes icy cold. Damn it! Why is he so immature!?

I unclench my fist and push Natsu away from me, shaking my head painfully. "Natsu, you just don't get it…"

"Then how about you explain it to me!? Why him!?"

I growl at Natsu, something I rarely do, even when I'm angry with him. "Why not him!? He pays attention to me! He cares about me!"

Natsu grits his teeth, his gaze becoming harsher. "He's not right for you! Especially if you're just mad that you don't get enough attention."

Why you… "I'm not mad over something stupid like not getting enough attention! And who are you to decide what or who is right for me!?" And here's the one thing that I've never wanted to say. The one thing I've never resorted to saying. "You're not Igneel, so stop trying to play the father!"

Natsu's eyes go wide and he doesn't say a thing. His shock and surprise wash over me like the waves on a beach. But these waves are cold, and they come crashing down on my head mercilessly. No mercy, just like this damn mouth of mine.

"Ciara…"

"No!" I've had more than enough of this shit. "I don't care what you want to say! I've had it with your overprotective instincts!" I turn my back on him, seething with anger. "I don't need you hovering over me, judging my every decision. So the next time you feel like making a comment on what I do, keep it to yourself."

I storm away from him without looking back, finding a quiet part of the guild so that I can sit down and calm myself. Why does that idiot always have to ruin everything!?

I sit there for what seems like forever, until a pair of footsteps have me glancing over at that head of dark hair that I know so well. "Gray…"

"Hey." He stands there a little awkwardly. "So…that was…interesting."

"Don't you mean aggravating? Infuriating? Embarrassing, maybe?" Considering the situation, it could be any of them. I'm certainly feeling a whole whirlwind of emotions right now.

"Well, it was embarrassing for sure…" He seems to be trying to keep a steady gaze, but he's failing miserably. "Natsu sure gets protective of you, huh… I can see why you two argue so much."

"Get to the point, Gray." I know that hes dancing around. Only an idiot wouldn't be able to see that. And if there's one thing I pride myself on, it's not being an idiot. "You know that I hate it when people just beat around the bush like that."

He rubs the back of his head awkwardly. "Sorry… I just… I don't know if I can handle being in the middle of your issues with your brother." He deliberately avoids my gaze, as if that would make this situation even more awkward. "Maybe we should call it quits."

I bite my lip, before forcing out a smile. "Yeah, I guess that would be for the best. After all, we're not just going to stop being friends over this."

"Yeah." He finally smiles, and stops avoiding my eyes. "We're family, right? Besides, we could try again after you sort out your issues with Natsu…" He says that, but he sounds a little less than hopeful about it. And none too enthusiastic either.

So…it takes a hothead like Natsu to cool down the flames of an ice wizard. Ironic… But I can't be the one to bring this conversation down. My pride won't allow it. "Yeah!" I give him the happiest, most bubbly reply that I can, hoping that it's convincing enough to fool even the most astute observer. "Maybe later then."

"Cool. Then I guess I'll see you around." Obviously he still feels a little awkward, but he's calm enough to walk away without making himself look like an idiot.

I hate leaving it like this, and I feel like crying. But I push down my emotions and smirk at his back. "And Gray, put on some damn clothes!"

"Ahhh!" He freaks out when he realizes that he's gone and stripped down to his boxers again. "Oh man!"

I sigh and turn to leave. But as I glance towards the bar, I can see Lisanna sitting there with Natsu, and neither of them look very happy. Then again, neither am I. Guess your intuition was off, Lisanna. There's no happy ending here…

Natsu's P.O.V.

I'm not sure if I feel bad for my sister, or mad at her. I'm just trying to protect her, and she went and blew up in my face.

"You know…you really didn't have to do that." Lisanna frowns at me with that look of disapproval that I really don't like. "You really hurt her this time."

I stare down at the plate of food in front of me, my fists clenched tightly. "I just don't want anyone taking advantage of her."

Lisanna purses her lips and shakes her head. "She's not going to let anyone take advantage of her. She's smarter than that, you know? And I can't believe that you tore into them like that. After all of my hard work…"

My mouth drops open and I stare at her. "You're the one who set them up!?"

"Of course!" She has the nerve to go and look all proud of herself. "I thought that they would make a great couple! But now you've gone and ruined it."

"S-" I quickly shut my mouth. No, I won't say that. I'm not sorry. I did what I had to. I did what I could to protect her.

But Lisanna isn't having any of that, and she whacks me right on top of my head. "Natsu! You have to go apologize to her!"

"What!? Why?" I dig my heels in and refuse to budge. "Why should I have to apologize for being right!?"

"Natsu!" She whacks me again. "She's your sister, and you hurt her feelings!"

"But Lisanna…"

"Go!" She points over to the other side of the guild, commanding me to do as she says. "If she's crying, then you need to do something about it!"

"Fine…" I highly doubt that she's crying, but I drag myself away from the bar and head towards the corner where I saw her run off to. The problem is, she's not there. Where did she…? I sniff the air, and I find a weak trail of her scent headed outside. Did she go home? I didn't see her leave, but…

I walk towards the doors, following the traces of her scent carried around on the breeze. She's nowhere in sight, which means that she must have left the guild hall and gone home. Great…

That leaves me with no choice but to pay her a visit at home. I head down the street to her house, jump over the gate and knock on the front door. "Ciara! Open up!"

There's no answer from inside, but I can smell her in there, so I know that she's home. "Ciara! Come on, it's me! Let me in!"

"Go away, Natsu!" Her voice is muffled by the door. "I don't want to see your stupid face!"

There's a sinking feeling in my stomach, and I don't like it. "Come on, just let me in!"

"No! Now go away, or I'll throw you into the lake!"

That stops me cold. Maybe I should wait a few days…I really don't want to get thrown into the lake again. The first time she threw me into the lake, Happy had to drag me out, and I caught a cold that lasted for a week. After that day, I made sure to learn how to swim. I haven't had any problem with getting out of the lake since then, but I still don't like it when she gets mad enough to hurl me in there. It's cold.

"Ciara…?"

"GO AWAY!" The house shakes a bit, making the windows rattle. And I know all too well what that means.

I'll try again in a few days…

So, that's what I imagine Natsu would be like if he caught Gray with his sister. Pissed as hell.

Holy shit…pardon my French (fun fact, I actually do speak French, have for the last…well, since I was in kindergarten, so a very long time) but I just realized that my story is going to end up being massively long… The pre-canon arc alone is going to end up around 70-72k words. Then I've got to finish all of the canon arcs, plus the extra stuff.

Well, I hope you guys are in for the long haul, because this is gonna take a while.