Loosely based on one of the many times I had to go to the mechanics-minus all the fun stuff.

Tune Up

Well, it wasn't the shadiest place Levy had ever been to.

In fact, the store looked clean—as far as car repair shops went. On her right, two gray couches were lined against windows that wrapped around the entire front, although the cushions had seen better days. The counter on the left directed a path toward the hallway that led into the back and shop proper, but the walls were cluttered with photos, awards, and other things that made the place seem more alive and used than anything seedy.

Just because it was located down a dark side street well off the main road didn't mean anything. The rain was probably skewing her judgment.

The bell chimed above her as she stamped through the door, water streaming off her clothes and making puddles on the floor. The short trek from her car to the door had her blue hair in strings sticking to her neck. She could feel her socks squish inside her shoes.

A large, middle-aged man behind the wooden counter looked up as she entered, flashing her a grin that contradicted his many piercings and wild mop of dark hair. It knocked a few years off his age too. The denim coverall he sported had a name sewn into his left pocket, but it was too far away to read. At least someone was here.

Levy brushed her hair out of her face and smiled back, opening her mouth to introduce herself. Before she could speak, the door rang again as Jet and Droy stomped inside.

Jet was continuing his rant from earlier. It had started this morning, but he was adamantly against her newest mechanic prospect. Droy didn't say much, but she knew he agreed with Jet's assessment from the way he nervously shifted and kept quiet. Now that they were actually here, her friends' newest idea was to keep her away from it.

"Really, it's not a big deal, Levy. We can take you—" Jet began.

The man got up then, coming around the desk to meet them. As he stood, Levy realized just how tall he was—at least six feet, which meant he towered over all of them, even Jet. "Morning," he man greeted, leaning against the desk and crossing his arms. The light glinted off the piercings in his nose.

Even without looking behind her, Levy could picture Jet and Droy's horrified reactions. She shot the man an apologetic smile and turned around, squinting as the glare from Jet's still-running headlights shined across the windows.

As predicted, both men had wide eyes and slack jaws. Droy's hands were clenching in the pockets of his coat. He recovered first and awkwardly looked off to the side. Jet, unfortunately, did not.

His orange hair bobbed as he turned to Levy and shook. "I think we should l-leave," he stammered out, his gaze shifting from Levy to over her shoulder.

She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, irritably swiping at the blue strands that had fallen in her face again. It was just past nine but she was already tired. While she loved these two like brothers, they could really be overwhelming. This morning's argument, in which they tried to convince her to not come here, had even caused her to break her headband on accident. And it had been a favorite.

"You're being rude," she told them, putting her hands on her hips giving them a flat stare. "I think the two of you should go home."

Jet looked like he was about to retort, but his comment died on his tongue as Levy let her gaze set in. Honestly, they acted as if they'd never seen a piercing before. She knew they were just worried about her, but waiting any longer to solve the mysterious noise from her car made her stomach roil.

When Droy made to speak up too, Levy held up a hand and shook her head. The door opened again with their retreat, and Levy brought her attention back to the man with a sheepish look. She strode forward and awkwardly twisted her dripping sleeve back so she could stick out her hand without dribbling all over him.

"Sorry we were rude," she said. "I'm Levy McGarden."

The man had an amused quirk to his lips as he shook her hand. It engulfed her, and she could tell he'd spent years at his craft by the callouses on his palm. "Metalicana Redfox, owner," he shot back. "We help you?"

"I hope so," she said, sighing heavily. "A friend... well, a friend of a friend really, recommended you guys. Natsu said if there was something wrong with my car that I should come here."

Recognition flashed across the man's face, and the tight winding in her shoulders eased. "Ah, Igneel's boy."

Then, he went past a large window that looked into the shop, stuck his head through a doorway, and yelled, "Oi, Gajeel, get your ass out here."

Levy didn't have to wait long before Metalicana returned, followed by impatient, heavy steps. What could've been the shop owner's clone stepped through the doorway, and she immediately pegged them for father and son.

This Gajeel's hair was longer and wilder, and he had at least double the piercings of the older man, but the crimson shade of his eyes was identical. There was also a familiar cut to his jaw and the way he held himself that betrayed the relation. She pegged him for around her age, though she didn't know any of her friends who matched his bulk. He looked like he could bench at least three of her, though maybe that wasn't saying much when she was five nothing.

She tried not to shiver as she took stock. How could anyone be that tall and built? It was sort of amazing really. And attractive, though that was probably saved for a better time. Even the studs dotting his ears, nose, eyebrows, and chin didn't detract from the overall look. The scowl sort of did though.

He grunted a greeting and crossed his arms across his chest, pulling at the denim of his work uniform. It wasn't the most impressive "happy to be here" looks, but she supposed most people only came here when there was a problem. She knew what it was like to be on the opposite end of angry customers.

Levy nodded at Gajeel politely before Metalicana asked what was wrong with her car. With a sigh, she brushed her hair back and made a face as she thought of how to describe it. Gajeel made an impatient noise and she shot him a dark look for a moment before she remembered herself. Surprisingly, Metalicana did too, only he wasn't as subtle or sorry about it.

"I've been to two different places," she began, her hands coming up automatically to animate her story. "One says it's my engine, and the other wants to replace the entire muffler system." Both ideas were really expensive, and something told her that wasn't it. And according to Lucy, Natsu had seemed really confident that these guys could help her out.

Gajeel screwed up his nose, but it probably wasn't in sympathy for her if his earlier actions were anything to judge by. It did interesting things to his piercings, though.

"I don't know a lot about cars, but it does sound like..." She trailed off as she struggled to find a way to explain it without trying to imitate the noise herself. Those commercials weren't really lying when they showed how ridiculous those people sounded.

"Yer boyfriends don't know how to look after a car?" Gajeel sort of ground out, a frown pulling his lips down.

Levy stared at Gajeel with a crinkled brow until her brain caught up with what he meant. For a second, she was worried that he saw their first embarrassing scene, but then she felt that burning on the back of her head.

Whipping around, she caught Jet and Droy lingering in the parking lot, shooting her worried glances as their attention shifted between her and Gajeel. Levy's cheeks heated up. Geez, she wasn't a kid! They were the ones acting like children, with how much she had to keep tabs on them. She sent them a withering glare, and this time, they actually drove off.

There was a rustle, a thunk, and then Gajeel hissed, "The hell was that for?" as she turned around. He was scowling at his father and shifting awkwardly on one leg.

Levy buried her amused smile by turning her glare on Gajeel. "They are not my boyfriends!"

He didn't look convinced, but he did look sort of surprised as he raised a brow at her. Embarrassment was creeping up her neck—what was wrong with her? She was normally much more reserved. Or at least polite. Now she could feel the heat coming off her cheeks. Ignoring Gajeel, she turned to Metalicana instead.

"It's like an echo of the engine," she said. That was why the first diagnosis had worried her. "I'm pretty sure it was on the passenger side in front. It's barely noticeable in town, but I really hear it on the highway. It just... doesn't sound right," she finished lamely.

The two men shared a look. "Gajeel will look at it," Metalicana said.

The younger one narrowed his eyes but he didn't refute it, stepping up to her and looking expectant as he ran a hand through his thick mane of hair. Levy tried not to notice how he loomed over her as she dug into her coat pocket for her keys. She did, however, give him a skeptical look with her own brow raised when she put the jingling set in his hand.

For whatever reason, that made him grin at her. Before she could react, he reached out and messed up her hair, ignoring her sharp, "Hey!"

She swiped at his hand, but she only hit air. She heard a "Gihi!" and he was around her and out the door.

Metalicana called after him, "And get that look off your face!"

In response, Gajeel flipped him off.

Winter, what are you doing? Instead of finishing up my term projects, I'm feeding my writing addiction. Good job, priorities.

Thank you for reading! Updates should be shortly-this won't be a super long fic. Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated!