Okay cool new fafic. In this one I hope I get all my fact right and if I don't, well whatever. Its fanfiction, I'll do what I want. It said on fairytail wikia that Igneel met Natsu as a child in a forest (I looked everywhere in the manga and couldn't find it. But the process was fun). I'm only going to assume that the child is pretty much the same age of the little Natsu in the pictures of them together. So yadda yadda ONTO THE FANFICTION!

oh, and the way i picture this story, there might be a little child abuse.

It was barely six o'clock in the morning when Lucy heard Natsu's whimpers. They were quiet at first, just soft groans like he didn't want to be awake at this hour (Lucy certainly didn't). Then they grew a bit more adding a high pitched sound to the groans, like how a dog whines in his sleep. Lucy turned over in her bed to get a better view, ignoring the fact that Natsu had once again barged into her room at night. In the sparse light she had, Lucy could see his face, warped into a picture of pain and his body slowly curling up into a fetal position. Her face was that of concern as she unconsciously started to move towards his sleeping figure.

Natsu was breathing rather harshly and was now curling his hands into fists. Lucy was shuffling forward now rather awkward. If this was a nightmare, she'd rather not intrude. She knew if she had a nightmare in front of someone she'd be embarrassed. Lucy then saw little blue pieces of fur start to get caught in the slowly fisting hand, and desperately tried to save poor Happy's tail from getting disfigured by Natsu muscly fingers. Too late. A screeching mewl erupted and Lucy dove for the blue fluff. Happy was comically crying and clutching his tail when Lucy took him by the scruff of the neck and hurtled both of their bodies into the bathroom, so as not to wake Natsu.

"Lucy is mean!" Happy practically screamed.

"Yes, yes. Just shush and we'll take a look at that tail." She replied, pulling out her first aid kit. The tail was much more hurt than Happy had let on and the process of bandaging and applying a special magic ointment that took the sting away, was twice as long. Lucy breathed a sigh as fatigue as the sleepless night was creeping up on her.

"Are you okay, Lucy?" Happy asked, pulling at her pant leg.

Lucy glanced down at the cute sight and smiled, putting on a motherly tone she patted his head. "Of course I am."

Picking Happy up and cradling him like one would a teddy bear, she set off towards the bed. Tip toeing over familiar creaks in her room she eventually made it to the bed. Kneeling down beside it, as if Natsu were a patient in a hospital, both Happy and Lucy inspected Natsu's face. It was changing into a look of deep sorrow now and Lucy kept vigil watch, debating whether or not she should wake him. Lost in those thoughts she almost screamed when Natsu bolted off the mattress.

"Igneel!" he screamed, with a hand reaching forward.

The debate on whether to get caught peeping on his facial expression or not lasted a millisecond as she grabbed Happy as quietly as she could and rolled under the bed. Actually a little bit curious into Natsu's life before Fairytail, Lucy covered Happy's mouth from screaming and listened intently, hoping for more comprehensible words from his dreams. Silence greeted her after his outburst and she started to toy with the thought that his nightmare had ended when a bright greeting snapped her out of it.

"Hi!" Natsu said as his head leaned over the side of the bed, hair touching the ground. Lucy shrieked and jumped. Bad idea. Her head connected harshly to the beds framed and vibration were sent through the rest of her skull.

"Lucy! You okay?" Natsu hollered as he dropped his whole body to the ground to reach and grab her arm.

As he started pulling her out from underneath, Lucy rubbed her new found bump. "How did you know I was under there?" she questioned, rather annoyed at the possibility her ninja skills were not as awesome as she had presumed.

His face was concerned, and slightly amused as he led her to the bathroom. Rather cheekily, he tapped his nose.

"Stupid Dragon slayers and their noses…" Lucy mumbled as the first aid kit was pulled out for a second time that morning.

When the trio entered the guild and took a place at the bar, they were immediately questioned by a rather forceful Erza.

"What is this?" Erza asked rather stiffly, pronouncing the "H" in the "what". She motioned to Lucy wound as she spoke.

Natsu chuckled at the memory as Mirajane brought them all a plate of eggs.

Lucy blushed, annoyed. "It wasn't my fault!"

"You were the one under the bed..." Natsu cackled. "Why were you under the bed?"

Shame and embarrassment flooded Lucy and she looked away. Her guilty face replied "Lost a sock."

Erza's eyes raised at the conversation. They sounded like newly weds the way they were talking. Erza blushed at the thought, like she always did when it concerned love. Content with the light atmosphere Erza felt herself calm, as she had been forming an absurd hypothesis in her head. Noticing another set of bandages she turned her head towards Happy.

"And what about you? Did you lose a sock too?" she questioned, hands on her hips.

Happy jumped up gleefully that someone had noticed his own injury. "No. It was Natsu!" Happy proclaimed, putting on the fake expression of anger.

Erza reacted by that statement by summoning a sword and pointing it at Natsu while he started choking on his eggs at such a thought.

"Is it true it was you who hurt my feline friend?" she said, raising the weapon in his direction. Happy wasn't really upset but Erza's reaction made him feel very loved and excited for the imminent duel.

Natsu was still trying to get the eggs down from the shock of being accused, and couldn't speak.

"I take your silence as affirmation. Prepare yourself." she stated and started her advance.

Natsu had just gotten the food down his throat when he saw the edge of the blade. Quickly he darted out of the path of the professional swing and established a defensive position from reflex. Erza recuperated fast and attacked again. Everyone in the guildhall was now watching the brawl of the dazed dragon slayer and majestic titania.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" Natsu questioned, once the blade had momentarily paused to readjust itself for a more skillful approach.

"Repeating myself is not something I like doing Natsu. You injured Happy, prepare to be punished." Erza proclaimed as she took another strike.

Everyone steeled themselves for Erza's usual win, a smirk plastered on their faces. Those expressions quickly changed however, to ones of shock.

There had been an unfamiliar glint in Natsu's eyes as he skillfully, almost wildly, dodged the attack and grabbed Erza's wrist with a fire coated hand. He pushed his face into hers, eyes full of what could only be seen as hate.

Using an aggressive tone normally reserved for enemies he spoke. "Don't you ever say that again."

Though angry, his voice was rather calm. Eerily calm.

Erza leaped backwards after his words, totally serious now. She had left her guard down, certain that the battle would be won with the last blow. She faced him now with a different sense of who she was fighting. She was serious. Erza serious was not something normal humans could see without death approaching and some people started to shake.

Seeing the awesome sight, Natsu seemed to snap out of his reverie and paused to assess the situation. Realising what he had done his face flushed and became abashed. Shame flooded his face, chasing away all other expressions. He glanced around at all the guild members gaping mouths and decided he didn't like the situation. Very carefully he retreated from Erza's threatening figure and whispered something along the lines of "can't take a joke..." and left the guildhall.

Erza's tense air turned to one of puzzlement as she exquiped her sword.

She turned to see Lucy's concerned face eying the door Natsu had just left, and exactly a second later she went after him, followed by a extremely guilty looking blue cat.