AN: So, this is my version of Family Time for Gajeel and Levy. I hope you enjoy it!

Fairy Tail and its characters don't belong to me. I just like playing with them.

#

Melting The Iron Man

By: BonneyQ

#

Levy McGarden was nervous. Her boyfriend was arriving later that day and she was feeling nervous, which didn't happen for a long time. After a start that anyone could call unorthodox, both of them stopped being nervous in each other's presence; they were in a relationship for seven years.

Her boyfriend, Gajeel Redfox, the famous Iron Dragon Slayer, was returning from a mission that lasted six days and he probably wanted a few hours of silence. But Levy couldn't give him this.

The Dragon Slayer would know at the moment he entered the tiny apartment they shared; his nose probably already told him about the hormonal changes of the small blue haired woman. Gajeel wouldn't know how to differ the subtle alteration of the smell of a woman who was about to have her period of the one from a pregnant woman. And that was what she was: pregnant.

The mage sat on the couch and continued to wait.

The pregnancy wasn't planned, not at all. She was still 24 years-old as much as she wanted a family, that wasn't the moment she would choose. But apparently live didn't want to know if it was or not on the agenda. Even with the measures of contraception, she was expecting a child.

And even though it wasn't planned, levy knew that she would have that baby, it didn't matter what Gajeel said, although it would be better if he was in the whole deal. At the very moment the moment that the shock of being pregnant passed, the girl felt a rush, a love so big that could eat her alive and so tender, a love that she never felt for anyone else in her entire life.

It was so strong, visceral, and instinctive. Whatever word that she chose do define what she was feeling for the unborn child could describe such feelings. That was true magic.

When she heard the apartment's door open, Levy was on her feet right away knowing it was Gajeel. He was dirty: from head to toes covered in mud. The girl intended to go towards him and give him a hug, but stopped midway.

"Had fun, Sweetie?" Levy asked with a smile, forgetting for a moment the nervousness.

"Don't even start, Short Stuff." Gajeel stared at her with anger while closed the door. "The next time I see Lily I'll make him pay."

"What happened?" She laughed, giving enough space to let the Dragon Slayer pass by her side.

"I don't want to talk about it." Gajeel mumbled. "I just need a shower."

"Hm… I have to talk to you." Levy said. The man was already inside the small bathroom taking his clothes off. "It's important."

"I can listen to you and shower at the same time, Shortie." Gajeel was completely naked at that point. He started the shower and hopped in, closing the thin curtain, not that Levy hadn't seen anything he had to offer.

"We are together for almost seven years, right?" The Solid Script Mage heard a small grunt of agreement coming from the shower. "And… well. We've been through a lot together; you know that I love you. I know that you love me, and I know that we never talked much about having a family, about what we wanted for our future together because I've always thought that we would talk about it when we were ready and that we still had time, but…" Levy sighed. "Oh, god. I'm not making much sense."

"Go to the point, Shortie." Gajeel's voice was one of irritation, she knew.

She pondered for a moment; being totally honest would make the process much faster. After the news were given, she would just have to wait for the shock to pass, and then, both of them could talk like grown ups.

"I am pregnant." Levy said, simply. She then, heard Gajeel slip and right after a noise that sound a lot like a 'thud', followed by a cuss word. Apparently the Famous and Infamous Iron Dragon Slayer had just fell in the shower. "Gajeel?"

"You're what?" His voice came from the floor and Levy pushed the curtain aside, only to see the fearful Gajeel Redfox on the ground with a look of incredulity on his eyes.

"Pregnant, sweetie." She said with calm and kneeling in front of him outside the shower and with a small smile. At least confusion wasn't anger.

"But… but…" Gajeel's red eyes were enormous because of the news. "Your smell…?"

"You said it yourself that it changed, right?" Levy answered. "You are not used to meet pregnant women to learn how to differ one smell from the other; you couldn't have known."

"No, I couldn't have known…" Gajeel shook his head, eyes not entirely focused. "Pregnant? What am I gonna do with a pregnant you?"

Despite it all, Levy smiled with the lack of tact of the man in front of her. "I hope that you keep doing everything you did before you found out I was pregnant." When there was no answer, the blue haired woman just laughed and offered a hando to help him get up. "Get up and finish your shower, sweetie. After, you are not in shock, we'll talk about our baby."

"Our… b… ba… baby?" Gajeel accepted her hand but made no effort to get up. The girl sighed and waited. Those would be seven months of many headaches. She could tell.

#

Three months of pregnancy

The news about Levy's pregnancy was not exactly a big surprise for the other mages of Fairy Tail. Levy and Gajeel were together for seven years and had known each other for about nine. Everyone was waiting for a wedding first, but Gajeel wasn't one to do things the usual way, was he?

"Lucy!" Natsu searched his wife between their friends. "We were winning, but now Gajeel and Levy are going to have a baby! Let's go home to make one so we can be on the top of the competit…" The blonde woman closed her fists and hit hard on the head of the Fire Dragon Slayer.

"Don't say stuff like that, Natsu!" Lucy said with her cheeks flushed. They got married only six months before and even though everyone knew that neither her nor Natsu were no longer 'innocent' in any sense, she still got embarrassed by it.

"Idiot." Gray rolled his eyes and stared at his girlfriend, Juvia Lockser, who was almost killing Gajeel with a bear hug. "Ok, Juvia. Gajeel needs to breath."

"Oh, Sorry. Juvia's just so happy for you, Gajeel-kun." The Water Mage smiled to her oldest friend. "You deserve this gift."

"It's just a brat, Juvia." Gajeel rolled his eyes. "It's not exactly hard to make one. It's not like I've learned a thousand year old spell." Levy poked him with her elbow. "I mean… thank you." He mumbled, not too happy about it.

Juvia laughed. It seemed that Little Bookworm Levy was training Gajeel to be more polite. As much as he could be, that is. "You're welcome." She gave him a peck on the cheek. "You are going to be a wonderful father." The Water Mage then turned to the petite woman that was expecting the Dragon Slayer's child. "Levy-san, you are going to be so pretty when you start showing! Thank you for making me an aunt!" Juvia hugged Levy.

Gray, that up until that moment was only an observer, gave a few steps and stood beside Gajeel. "Congratulations, dummass! Now Juvia will talk about babies all the time until I finally help her make one."

"She doesn't need you to have one, Stipper." Gajeel said with indifference, but he knew that his words would make the Ice Mage crazy.

"What do you mean?" Gray asked with indignation.

"I mean that if you deny too much, Juvia can look for help with that other Stripper." Gajeel shrunk his shoulders in disdain. "If she wants a baby, she'll have one with or without you.

"She wouldn't do it." Gray stared hard at Gajeel, but still doubtful. "Juvia would never…"

"When it comes to babies, women are not exactly rational, Stripper." Gajeel smiled. "They have some weakness against the brats. And Juvia always said that she wanted at least thirty of her own…"

"…I can barely wait for when it's my turn to have one." Juvia said and Gray immediately looked at his girlfriend, who was still talking to Levy, clueless. "Juvia is not getting any younger, is she?"

"Juvia!" Gray yelled, startling the Water Mage, who stared at him with confusion. "You and I need to have a talk."

"But…"

"Now!" Gray held her hand and took her out of the guild, while Levy scooped closer to Gajeel.

"I saw what you did there, Gajeel."

"I just told him the truth." The Dragon Slayer made a movement with his hand that meant 'let it go'. "Can we go yet? I said that I would come with you to tell them. I never said that I would stay so they could smack me in the back and want to squeeze my hand. I mean it: making a brat is not that hard."

Levy laughed. "You can go if you want. I need to go talk to Jet and Droy., Both of them are like statues right there on the guild's corner, poor thing."

#

Five months of pregnancy

"Gajeel!" Levy exclaimed and the man was by her side in a moment, asking her what was the problem. She just held the Dragon Slayer's hand and put it over her belly, highly noticeable by then. "Feel this."

He frowned, but did what was asked. After a few seconds. He felt it; the Brat –as he called the baby– was moving.

Automatically, he withdrawn his hand from Levy's stomach with an expression of absolute horror, while she laughed. "Does it freak you out?"

"Hell yeah!" He said without thinking. "Doesn't freak you out?"

"I've been feeling it for a while." Levy reminded him. "Come on, put your hand back. The Baby wants you to."

"Or you want me to?" Gajeel hesitated.

"I speak for the baby." The Solid Script Mage informed him and saw he put his hand back on her stomach. It didn't take too much time for the baby to move again. "I told you that he wanted you to feel him."

"It's so weird." Gajeel was now absolutely curious. "It must be so freaky to have a bloodsucker, like this one, inside you!"

"Don't call him that! I already let you off the hook for calling him 'Brat'!" Levy rolled her eyes. "But yes, it is a little weird."

The Dragon Slayer continued to touch her stomach, feeling their child from different angles. Levy thought it was the most adorable thing in the world. She knew that he felt love for her and the baby, but it was already hard for him to show love for her, to show love for a baby that was still in the womb? He pretended he didn't care and that he didn't like it when people congratulated him for the child, but Levy knew that he loved it.

Not that the Iron Dagon Slayer would admit.

#

Seven month of pregnancy

Gajeel stared as the man held Levy by her neck; a knife pointing towards her belly, that was very noticeable. She got up to get a glass of water during the night and before she could fully understand what was going on, that man grabbed her. Gajeel woke up, only to find her like that.

"How surprised was I when I learn that the once fearful Gajeel Redfox was playing house!" The Man said laughing like crazy. "You found a beautiful pet, Gajeel. You even got her pregnant and barefoot in the kitchen, didn't you?" The man pressed the knife harder on Levy's stomach and the Dragon Slayer, instinctively, took a step towards them. "No, no, no." The Man twisted the knife and Gajeel stopped, he didn't want to be the cause of Levy getting injured. "If you come closer, I'll have to end our little play date earlier."

Gajeel looked to Levy, who was staring back at him. He could see that she was terrified, utterly terrified with the situation, but she wouldn't give. That was his Levy; small, but strong. It wasn't for nothing that she had captured him completely.

"If anything happens with either of them, you'll have only one second to gloat about it, because in the next, you'll be in pieces." Gajeel growled, now staring at the man holding the pregnant girl. "I don't know who you are, but think very carefully of what your next movement will be."

The guy laughed. "You can't do anything. I have your woman and your unborn child; if you come too close… I'll end both."

Levy closed her eyes trying to think of a plan, any plan; anything that could distract the man long enough so Gajeel could act. She just needed a small opening to…

Small…

Opening her brown eyes, Levy moved her eyes so she could meet Gajeel's, who eyed her with curiosity. While the man was giving a speech about what he wanted to let her go, the Solid Script Mage only blinked and looked down to her fingers.

Gajeel nodded discreetly, trusting her judgement even if he didn't know what the plan was. The petit mage, then, started to gather all the magical power she could (which she shouldn't use during the pregnancy: all the magic of her body was being used to protect the child that was in her stomach; using that magic could make her faint) and with the finger that was the closest to the man's leg, she wrote 'Fire'.

It was small, but made the guy let go of her so he could stop the fire from spreading. It was small, but she was able to untangle herself from him and step away. It was small, but it was enough for Gajeel to take down the son of a bitch.

If she wasn't completely terrified, Levy would've made a joke directed to Gajeel, saying how helpful a small thing like the spell could be useful; but not at that moment. Maybe later, when she wasn't shaking and when Gajeel wasn't punching someone at their living room.

"Gajeel…" Levy said weakly. Even using that level of magic could make her feel sickly. "Gajeel, don't kill him." The Dragon Slayer had his skin totally changed into metal and his eyes were glowing in a sinister way.

"He…" Gajeel had already beaten the other guy so much that his face was now a bloody mess. "He tried to… And the Brat…" In his anger, the Dragon Slayer could barely form a sentence.

"We are from Fairy Tail. We don't execute our enemies." Levy said and sighed in relief when the baby moved inside her. She had to stop her boyfriend to become murderer. He would regret it later on for losing himself on the moment, she knew. "Please, Gajeel…"

Against his will, he let go of the man and his skin returned to the normal color. Gajeel's attention returned to Levy, who was sitting on the floor, leaning on the couch

"Are you okay? Is the baby okay?" When Levy nodded, the Dragon Slayer sighed in relieve and hugged his girlfriend. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. If it wasn't for me…"

"We are alright, Gajeel." Levy put a hand on his cheek. "You saved us."

"I am sorry." He said it again and put his own hand over Levy's stomach. He didn't know how important that baby was until that moment; of course, he felt affection towards it and he knew that he wouldn't eat the brat when it arrived, but the possibility of losing it, the possibility of missing the chance to meet that little human, the small being that he and Levy created… That made Gajeel feel desperate and empty.

Maybe he even loved the Brat.

#

Eight months of pregnancy

Oh, the pain.

Levy felt pain during her life, of course; she was a mage and it was basically a rule to feel pain at some point. She never felt a pain like that before. She never felt like she was going to be ripped in the middle at any moment.

"Gajeel!" Levy said, holding the man's hand as hard as she could (Gajeel felt proud of her strength). "If you love me, punch me hard enough to make unconscious."

"I…" The Iron Dragon Slayer was confused since the moment Levy had awaken him in the middle of the night with contractions. He had run outside their apartment with only the baby's bag (that was already pre-made), barefoot and without Levy; only to return a minute later, confused of what the hell was he doing. Levy had laughed asked how a man like him, a mage that was feared all over Fiore, could become such an idiot when his woman was giving birth. The smile vanished as soon as she had another contraction, though. "I don't… I can't…"

"Then get me the drugs, Gajeel!" Levy snapped at him. "Any drug! Jeez!"

"We will be pumping you with drugs soon enough Mrs. McGarden." A deep and very masculine voice echoed though the room. "I am Dr. Matthew You and I am filling for Dr. Marissa; she had an emergency in a village close by and can't make to Magnolia in time, but I am here to help you have this baby, right?" Levy nodded. "Now… I need to see how dilated you are…" When Dr. Matthew tried to lift Levy's blanked, Gajeel's hand was automatically on the doctor's wrist, preventing the tall blonde man to look at the Solid Script Mage's private bits. "I need to know how dilated she is." The doctor tried to explain, but Gajeel didn't let go of his wrists.

"Isn't there a woman to do that?"

"Gajeel, this nice gentleman will give me drugs." Levy said, pulling the hand he still had with hers. "He can see whatever he wants as long as he gives me the drugs."

"Would you feel better if I told you I was gay?" Dr. Matthew said with a sigh and Gajeel immediately withdraw his hand from him,

"Erm…" The Dragon Slayer mumbled. "I guess so…?"

"Too bad, because I am not." The doctor said, and Levy (who had a better mood and between contractions) laughed. "I am the best there is to help your wife and child, sir. And although you are absolutely adorable, Mrs. McGarden, I have a fiancée; I hope you take no offence when I say that I am not interested."

"It's alright." Levy smiled and then another contraction washed over her, making her talk between gritted teeth. "Just give me the drugs!"

Gajeel was so in shock with the doctor's reaction and with Levy in pain that he forgot to put Matthew's name on the 'Must Kill' list and let the man check on his girlfriend.

"Okay, Levy, the baby has grown too much since your last appointment as I can see from your chart. It is too big for you to have naturally, now. We need to perform a C-section to make sure both you and the baby will be fine." The doctor said and Levy nodded, afraid that something could happen if they didn't perform the surgery.

"A C-section?" Gajeel was confused; "But… it's dangerous, isn't it?"

"It is more dangerous to wait." Dr. Matthew said. "There's no way she can have the child like she is now; her hips are too narrow for a normal delivery. If we don't do the C-section, the baby will start to asphyxiate. I swear that if it wasn't absolutely necessary I wouldn't even suggest it."

"But…"

The doctor put a hand on the Dragon Slayer's shoulder. "I told you that I am the best, and I am. I'll do my best to guarantee that she is alright and your child is also fine and healthy, alright? Now go scrub in if you want to see your child come to this world."

"Someone give me the damn drugs!"

#

An hour later, Gajeel was still holding hands with Levy, but this time they were in an OR while Dr. Matthew performed the C-section. Gajeel was nervous; he didn't like to know that Levy was going through a surgery, but it was necessary so both she and the Brat could be alright.

"I can see the head." The doctor said and Gajeel tried to see something, but there was a nurse obstructing his view. After a few minutes, Dr. Matthew spoke again, "And here we go!" A few moments passed until a cry, definitively from a baby, could be heard and Gajeel's eyes turned as big as they could get when he heard the sound. "And you two have a boy!"

The Dragon Slayer looked to Levy, who was openly let tears fall and whispering to herself: 'A boy!' He kissed his girlfriend's hand (The biggest sign of affection he could ever show at that moment) and returned his attention to the newborn that was being handed to a nurse.

The baby had his head covered with a thick layer of black hair; definitely came from Gajeel. He was totally covered in something goo-ey and white; and even though it was gross, it was also the most beautiful thing Gajeel had ever seen.

The nurse was cleaning the child and doing whatever else they had to do to guarantee that the kid was fine, Gajeel guessed; and he couldn't keep his eyes from the small human. Gajeel had a son!

"Almost eight pounds!" The doctor laughed when the nurse informed about the baby's weight. "This one is big!" The nurse said while wrapped the baby (who was still crying) in a blanket and started to walk towards the couple.

"Of course he is." Levy was laughing between tears. The nurse got even closer and showed the baby to the newest parents and the Solid Script Mage started to cry even more. "He is so beautiful. He is perfect."

"He is." Gajeel was looking to the newborn while his heart beat faster than have ever beat before in his life. That was his son. Half him and half her. The two of them had made him. "He truly is."

"I have to take him to the incubator now." The nurse said. "He is big and looks healthy, but even so, all the preemies have to stay a few days on it. As soon as you return to the room, I'll take him to you, sweetheart." She turned to Gajeel. "You can come with me, if you want."

"I…" He wanted to go. He wanted to have that baby on his eyesight forever, but he couldn't leave Levy. He wouldn't leave her.

"Go, Gajeel." The petit mage said with a dazzling smile. "I can't go, but I want you to."

"But…"

"Please." Levy squeezed the Dragon Slayer's hand. "I'll probably gonna sleep anyway. I need you to go with him, okay? Just don't drive the nurses crazy."

Gajeel offered his biggest and more honest smile. "I'll try,"

He definitely loved the Brat. And the Brat's mother.

#

Levy was holding the baby with all the love she could gather. Gavin was two months old, but already showed that he was just a younger version of Gajeel; he wanted what he wanted when it suited him. She, just like she did with the older Redfox, would do whatever could make the baby happy.

It was 4:23 a.m. and Gavin was feeling gassy, making Levy stay awake for most of the night, crying from time to time. Since she was a first timer mother, the girl had read a lot of books that said that it was normal to have a few sleepless nights. But not to sleep right for two months was hard.

She heard the door open and turned around, only to find her boyfriend standing there. He was without a shirt, like he liked to sleep and was also scratching his arm, right above his guild mark.

"You need to sleep." Gajeel said. "Give me the Brat and go to bed." The girl hesitated and he rolled his eyes. "No one will think less of you or that you are a bad mother for sleeping, Shortie. I have to take care of him too, don't I? Go take a nap. Gavin and I will be fine."

"Alright." Levy handed the whimpering child to him and Gajeel held him with skill. That always made the woman's heart flutter insider her chest: how much Gajeel worried about Gavin and how much the Dragon Slayer had changed since he joined Fairy Tail. Who would ever thought that he would be such a loving father? "Thanks, sweetie." She gave Gajeel a peck on the cheek and kissed Gavin's black hair. "When he gets hungry…"

"Go to sleep, woman!" Gajeel said, exasperated and holding the baby close to his chest.

"Okay." She laughed and walked away from the room. When she was out, she heard her boyfriend talking to Gavin.

"You like to manipulate your ma's attention, don't cha?" The man laughed. "You should have more consideration towards me; if I hadn't her attention, you wouldn't be here…"

Levy smiled when she head Gajeel start to tell their child how his last mission went, without spare any details about the fights and how many punches he had thrown. Leaving the two Redfox boys having their little man-to-man talk, Levy decided that sleep was a necessity at that point.

She went to sleep happy, knowing that their son had absolutely melted the iron man.

#

AN: First of all, for those who don't know me, English is not my first language, so I know I've made mistakes. If you point them out for me I will be grateful!

I hope you enjoyed it. I wrote this one in Portuguese first (usually I write in English first) and I had a few comments on it, telling me that they used Google translator to read it. I already had the intention to translate it to English, but seeing those reviews made me go faster! LOL

The emphasis of Levy asking for drugs was: If you were having Gajeel's child, you would want to be drugged too. The man is big!

BTW, Gajeel would kill that guy with a smile on his face and wouldn't lose a night's sleep over it. That's why I freakin' love him.

Loved it? Hated it? Want to bash my head with a bat? Want to give me a hug? Let me know! ;)

05/04/2013 ~ BonneyQ