HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY FOLKS! I bring to you, this fine day of love a new ship. Well, a new ship for me at least. Not sure how often y'all have read this one but I hope ya enjoy anyway.

Heart of Metal

The light is blinding. The metal binding. On and on, the torch merges two pieces into one. His hands know the work, having done it for many years. But it seems his head just isn't in it.

The torch goes out, the helmet and he scowls. Crimson eyes hooded with piercings for eyebrows scrutinize the shape slowly taking form. He's dissatisfied. It should be folding one way instead of another.

He grunts, throwing the torch onto a table. His helmet comes off next, allowing his black hair to fall like the untamed wilderness it is, sweat glistening down his forehead. He removes the gloves next, throwing those in a bucket as he walks away.

Making his way through the cluttered workshop he accidentally knocks a pipe in a scrap pile and without a second look kicks it back into place as he opens another door.

Entering a garage full of cars being worked on he looks around, intent on finding someone. Until a whistle sounds behind him. The welder turns, finding his pink haired cousin of a mechanic sitting on a counter with a Gatorade.

"What's got you in a bucket of bolts this time, Gajeel?"

Gajeel groans, walking to the fridge sitting beside the counter. "The fucking piece ain't turning out right. No matter what I fucking do it won't look right."

His cousin gives him a knowing smile. "Look at it this way. You still got a couple days to get it done. Why don't you head home, spend the rest of the day with the family and come back to it tomorrow?"

The welder leans against the counter, water bottle in hand. "Don't see how it will help, Natsu. It needs to be perfect and it just ain't working."

Natsu arches an eyebrow, slides off the counter and grabs an oil-stained rag. "Alright, if that's how you wanna be. Gajeel Redfox, as your boss I am telling you to go home. If I catch you around here before nine am tomorrow, consider yourself suspended."

Gajeel, in an act of childishness, tosses his bottle at the pinkette. "Fuck you, Salamander, I never said I wasn't gonna take the early time off."

Cackling as he ducks the projectile he grins. "Yeah, yeah. What are cousins for? Now go, I got a Tahoe that's being finicky."

When he gets home, he sits in his truck for a long minute just looking. The yard is littered with toys, a cat sleeps on the porch railing. His eyes fall on the bluenette sitting on the porch swing, her nose in a book.

He slides out of the truck, slamming the door behind him. Walking up the porch steps he pauses beside the railing to run a hand down the black cat's sleek coat. It arches its back, purring in greeting before it opens its eyes. Hazel greets crimson and Gajeel grins.

"Protecting the house again Lily?" The cat seems to almost grin before he settles back down, laying his head on his paws. His eyes fall halfway closed, the scarred right eye keeping look out on the road in front of the house.

"You're home early. Did you get into trouble again?" Crimson eyes turn from the cat to the bluenette now looking at him and he pouts.

"Is it so bad that Salamander let me come home early to spend time with my girl and kids?"

She scowls, sliding off the swing. When she stands her dress falls to reveal her midsection rounded slightly. "Gajeel, you only ever come home early if you and Natsu get into a fight."

He approaches quickly, wrapping his arms around her and kissing the daylights out of her before she can actually get angry. When he pulls away his eyes soften with a look of absolute love.

"It's like I said. Salamander let me come home early to spend time with you three." His murmured words soften her anger as well and she sighs laying her head on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry. It's just you can't afford to lose this job. Not when Nick is just starting elementary school and Merc is coming." He arches an eyebrow, gently tilting her head up.

"Shrimp, I doubt Salamander would let me quit even if I wanted to. Not when your best friend would make him sleep in the doghouse with Plue." He leans down, kissing her lightly. "Besides, what makes you so sure this one is gonna be a boy. Ever think I might want a girl around the house?"

She giggles when he leans back, her anger completely gone. "Alright, Mr. Welder, you have me convinced."

Gajeel grins, happy to see her so happy. A noise from the house grabs their attention and he turns just as the door is flung open. He crouches, barely managing to catch the small person charging at him.

The kid steps back, looking at Gajeel with wide eyes. "Daddy, Mommy said you wouldn't be home until dinner."

"Did she now?" The wild spikes of blue hair on his head bob in time with his nod and Gajeel picks him up, settling him on his hip as he turns to Levy. "It looks like I got to surprise both of you then. Were you good today, Nicky?"

The boy, Nicky, grins revealing miniature pointed fangs similar to his father's. "Yes, Daddy, Mr. Gobber let us make finger paintings."

He grins, looking at Levy. "Well then, why don't you show us what you made?"

Later that night, he stares at the ceiling, one arm behind his head, the other pinned beneath Levy sleeping at his side. He's tired, having exhausted himself and his son by running around for hours on end, but he can't sleep. His mind turns in circles around his work, around his home, and around his worry.

Finally, he gives up on trying to sleep and slowly gets up, carefully sliding Levy off his arm. She whimpers at the missing warmth and he runs a hand down her arm, soothing her before he turns away, carefully making his way out of the room.

Quietly, he closes their door then makes his way down the hall. He stops two doors down and opens it slowly. A blue night dimly illuminates his son's face, curved in a soft smile from his dreams.

Gajeel allows a small smile, seeing the boy clutch a silver dragon plush toy he'd been given. When he's sure he's sound asleep, the welder closes the door and turns away, walking down the stairs to the kitchen.

A glance at the clock has him reaching for the phone and he dials a number he knows by heart, listening to it ring twice before he pulls it away from his ear. On the third ring, it picks up loud music coming from the other side.

"Dragon's Den, you got Metal." Gajeel snorts, bringing the phone back up to his ear.

"Hey, old man." He keeps his voice low, so he doesn't wake Levy but the man on the other side still hears him.

The music is turned down before the gruff voice comes back to the phone. "It's a little late for ya to be calling, don't ya think?"

Gajeel leans back, cupping the elbow of the arm holding up the phone with his other hand. "I know, and I wouldn't be calling you if I could help it."

The line goes silent. If it was anyone else Gajeel would hang up, but he knows how his father works. A couple seconds later he's not surprised when he hears a grunt.

"Alright, get your ass down here, we'll see what we can do." The phone clicks and Gajeel sets it back down.

Grabbing his coat off the hanger, he grabs his keys, slides his boots on and locks the door behind him, passing by Lily sitting on the railing. "Lily, watch her."

He meows in response and Gajeel walks to the truck. The first turn of the key has the truck rumbling to life and a few seconds later he's backing out of the driveway.

Twenty minutes later finds him pulling up in front of a run-down bar.

The slanted roof over the porch is drooping, several shingles missing. Almost all the railing save one section by the front door has been broken off. Boards cover one window in the corner of the establishment while the rest are dirty, nearly opaque with the amount of dirt covering them. Even outside heavy metal music can be heard blaring from the building, nearly being topped by the ruckus of the customers inside.

Gajeel sighs, cutting off the engine and sliding out of the truck. The line of bikes parked beside the building catches his attention. At a glance, he counts five, already knowing who he'll see once he enters the building.

When he walks into the bar no one notices him until he makes it to the bar. There he sits on one of the stools, waiting for his father. However, it's not his father that notices him first, it's an older guy with long white hair pinned back in braids.

He grins, his ice blue eyes startlingly noticeable even from a distance, and he pushes away from the table he's sitting at, walking up to the welder.

"Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in. What brings you here, Gajeel? Your old lady kick ya out of the house again?"

Gajeel rolls his eyes, turning to face him with a scowl. "Fuck off, Light. It's none of your business why I'm here."

"Light!" The platinum blonde flinches, both men looking up to see an older, more grayed shorter-haired version of Gajeel standing there scowling at the white-haired man. "Get off your ass, leave my son alone, and get into the damn kitchen before I string you up by your feet again!"

In three seconds flat Light is gone. Gajeel chuckles, soon joined by his father as he walks behind the bar. Metal leans on the bar counter, looking his son over with a frown.

"You've got that look in your eye, what happened this time?"

Gajeel flinches and Metal turns away, grabbing two beers while he waits for his son to talk. When he pops the tops Gajeel clears his throat staring at the beer instead of his father.

He hates asking for advice, he hates asking for help. Now he's here asking both from his father, which will most likely draw in his other family as well.

"It's about Levy."

Metal arches an eyebrow. "When is it not about your girl?" A second thought occurs to him causing the older man to eye his son. "Have you proposed to her yet?"

The answer is obvious when he looks away. Metal sighs, setting his beer down to lean against the bar counter. "Gajeel, don't do what I did and hesitate. I loved your mother very much, but I hesitated, and I lost her for it. Levy loves you. I've seen it. Every time she looks at you it's as clear as day."

He scowls, crushing the can in his fist. "It's not that. I plan on doing it this Valentine's day. It's just—" he trails off, unsure how to explain without looking weak.

Metal chuckles, grabbing a rag to wipe up the spill even as he pries the can out of his son's hand. "Tell you what, it's almost closing time anyway. Sit there and we'll figure this out."

Metal ignores the groan that follows his statement and walks to the end of the bar where a bronze bell is bolted to the wall. He pulls on a pair of earmuffs and grabs a padded mallet, swinging it against the bell three times. While he's removing the ear muffs another man with gray peppered short fiery red hair steps into the middle of the room.

"Alright, Y'all heard the bell. Last drinks then get your asses gone!" He turns, eyeing a group of little old ladies sitting in the back corner. "That means the knitting club too."

The man scowls, seeing the women pout. "No, absolutely not! The last time we let you stay after closing I got a call from the sheriff about knitting needles being stuck in his tires."

One of the women, a fierce looking woman with light pink hair stands up, scowling at him. "Igneel, it's not our fault he refused to let us use town hall for our auction."

"Oh, for fuck's sake." He face palms, turning to her. "Porlyusica, I am not doing this. I don't care how much you love my sister, you are not gonna turn my—"

"Our!" His statement is interceded by four exclamations, two from Metal and Weisslogia while the remaining two come from the black-haired and ginger-haired men picking up glasses from empty tables.

Igneel rolls his eyes, continuing. "Our bar into an outlaw hideaway. Go to the other side of town if you want to do that."

She huffs, turning to grab her bag. The other women do so as well, shooting him angry glares even as they march out of the building. He waits until he hears the sound of motorcycles driving off before he turns back to the crowd.

"Sorry 'bout that folks. Y'all know how it gets around here. Like I said earlier. Finish off those drinks and get out of here."

He walks off, going to take care of something else and Gajeel turns to his father, his expression questioning.

Seeing it Metal chuckles. "Igneel and Porlyusica have been going at it for the past couple weeks about her holding her knitting club here. Everyone is all for it—I've even learned a bit myself—but they get a little too crazy if they have too much liquor."

Gajeel gives a sharp laugh and Metal walks away, moving to clean off the bar counter. Everyone else eventually files out in the next ten minutes and Gajeel turns around, watching his father and his uncles go about cleaning up the place.

Once that's done they begin congregating around his seat, the first to do so is the ginger. He grins, settling down beside the welder. "So Gajeel, what brings ya to bar this time? You usually only come when your girl is bugging ya."

He rolls his eyes, looking up when Metal sets a glass of water in front of him. "Fuck off, Flame. Last time I checked you got kicked out of Salamander's house for eyeing Bunny Girl."

Flame looks to Metal, but the studded man flicks him in the head. "He's got a point Flame. You don't know jack shit about women."

The uncle glares at them, his lips twitching into a grin. "I do too know about women. Why as a matter of fact I know that you can make one cu—" he yelps, a rag smacking him upside the head.

"Say one more word and I'm making you be busboy for the next year." The black-haired man settles on the other side of Gajeel, glaring at Flame. Gajeel grins, looking at him.

"Hey, Shadow, how's Rogue?"

Shadow nods, watching Metal as he sets a drink down in front of him. "He's doing good. Both he and Sting are in college. From what I hear he's keeping the bugger on the straight and narrow."

"Straight and narrow?" Light snorts, settling beside Shadow. "More like keeping him from doing anything fun."

Metal rolls his eyes, watching the two get into an argument and turns to Gajeel. "Ignore those two."

Igneel's the last to settle stepping behind the bar with Metal to help clean up. As he makes his way down the counter he cuffs all three of the brothers sitting on the stools, glaring at each in turn.

"That's enough out each of you." Then he turns to Gajeel. "You kids only come here when you want advice or a fight and seeing as nothing is broken I'm betting it's advice?"

The welder nods, looking at the oldest of his uncles seriously. "That just it. I wanna propose to Shrimp. I know how I wanna do it. But when it comes to actually creating the gift I wanna propose to her with I'm stuck."

He arches an eyebrow. "Where are you hiding this gift?"

"At the shop."

"What exactly is this gift?" Gajeel looks at Flame, frowning in thought.

"What I want it to be is a heart made of metal instead of a regular ring box but no matter what I do it doesn't look right."

All five brothers share a look before as one they grin. "Road Trip!"

Within minutes the bar is locked up and the group is piling into Gajeel's truck. Said owner, however, stands on the sagging porch watching the group argue over who gets what seat.

He snaps. "Who the fuck said you were taking my truck?!"

The brothers pause in their arguing and Metal leans out the driver side window. "I did. Now get your ass in the truck."

Gajeel scowls, crossing his arms over his chest. "No, old man. we're not going anywhere until you tell me just what the fuck you think you're doing."

"Okay, if that's how you wanna be." He shrugs, climbing out of the truck with Igneel and Flame.

Before he has time to think Metal tackles him to the ground. His father wraps his arms around his chest, Igneel lifts him up by the stomach and Flame grabs his feet.

"Oi, what the fuck mmph." He glares at Metal when he covers his mouth.

"Shut up, you won't listen anyways. You're going with us and we're gonna help you with this gift to Levy." With that all three lift him into the bed of the truck where Metal looks at Light and Shadow. "Sit on him, don't let him move until we get to the shop."

After they follow his command, he, Igneel, and Flame climb into the cab of the truck. Himself in the driver's seat.

An hour later the truck pulls to a stop in the parking lot of the shop. The brothers jump out, Gajeel following them once he can get up.

"This is a really bad idea ya know."

Igneel grins, looking at his nephew. "Nonsense. Natsu won't mind." Walking up to the front door he bends down, pulling out a brick dug into the ground. From there he peels off the key taped to the brick inserting it into the lock. When he opens the door, he speaks again. "Take them to the door where your workshop is. I'll be there in a second."

Rolling his eyes, he grunts turning away from them. "Knew I shouldn't have gone to you fuckers."

"Aw, come on Gajeel. We're just trying to help you."

The welder glares at Flame, stopping four garage doors down from the front office. "Yeah, trying to help me get arrested. I'm trying to ask Levy to marry me, not see me in jail." He turns, glaring at his father. "We get arrested I ain't stepping in to stop Shrimp, Shorty, Aunt Grandine, or any other woman we know from kicking your asses to Mars."

Light shines out the small windows set in the door seconds before the door comes up, allowing the group into the workspace. Gajeel walks over to an alarm pad set beside the door, starting to type in a code when he sees Shadow and Light poking around the scrap metal pile.

His eyes go wide, and he darts over, pushing a loose piece of metal back into place glaring at them. "Don't touch my scrap pile. One wrong move and the entire thing comes down."

They nod, and he walks further into the shop grabbing a warped piece of metal from Flame. He sets that down in a different spot closer to where his torch sits before he turns to see Metal looking at the box he was working on the day before.

"So, this is what has you so worried?" Gajeel grins sheepishly, nodding to his father as he pulls some papers out of a drawer.

"Yeah, it doesn't feel like it's right. I've redone it three times, but it never feels like it's finished."

His father smiles, turning to look at him. "Gajeel, in my forty years of metalworking I have never seen a project done as well as this. You should be proud of it."

If anyone was to say so later he'd deny it but at that moment a bright red blush of embarrassment rises up his neck, coloring his cheeks. Metal, seeing this, says nothing about it, instead of opening the latch.

"So, there's a certain piece of jewelry I think she'll notice missing." Gajeel snorts, turning to a set of small drawers filled with bits and pieces.

"Nah, I needed to hide it, so Shrimp couldn't find it. Only Salamander knows I hid it here." He pulls out a small black box, tossing it to Metal.

He sets down the gift, catching the box instead. When he opens it he grins, setting the box down beside the gift. "Damn, you really learned your metals." Gajeel snorts and Metal removes the ring from the box, opening the latch on the welded gift to set it in.

Seeing what he's doing Gajeel walks up beside him. "That's not how it goes, see this hook here?" He asks pointing to a small copper hook poking from the latch. Metal nods and Gajeel connects the ring to the hook. "When she opens it, the message will roll down from the lid asking her. If she approves and takes the ring the message will roll back up. If she doesn't," he shrugs, not quite wanting to finish that thought.

Metal smiles, looking up at his son. "Gajeel, this is amazing. There's no possible way she'd say no."

Red and blue lights flash on the walls causing Gajeel to turn. His eyes fall on the alarm now blinking red and he groans. "Just what I need."

XxX

The phone rings, the sound of a gong repeating in threes, causing the pinkette lying in the bed to groan. He rolls over, onyx eyes blinking away the vestiges of sleep as he read a neon green '3:03' on the clock. When the blonde beside him curls razor sharp nails into his chest he grabs the phone not wanting to wake her up.

Answering he croaks out what he hopes to be a greeting.

His mind starts to work as he listens to the woman on the other end and when he realizes what she's saying he shoots up in bed. "Yeah, I'll be right there. Thank you for letting me know."

Natsu hangs up, jumping out of bed to grab the basketball shorts laying on the floor.

"Natsu, what's going on?" Throwing on a shirt he turns to look at the blonde, grimacing.

"Some knuckleheads decided to break into the shop. They need me down there to determine if any damage was done and whether I wanna press charges or not."

Before he's even finished speaking she's up, grabbing a shirt as well. "I'm coming with you."

"Lucy, you ain't gotta do that." She levels a withering glare at him.

"Natsu, I work there too remember?"

He sighs, walking to the bedroom door. "Alright, come on."

It's only a ten-minute drive from their apartment to the shop and when they arrive they find several cars sitting on the street or in the lot around the garage. In a line, in front of the open garage door, Natsu can barely make out six handcuffed people.

Making his way through the gathering crowd he's stopped by a cop. "Sir, you can't go in there."

Natsu frowns. "I'm the owner."

The cop nods, leading him up to another cop before retreating to control. The lead cop turns, taking the sight of him. "Are you Mr. Dragneel?" Natsu nods and the officer gets down to business gesturing to the garage. "We received an alert about fifteen minutes ago saying the alarm had been tripped. Came out to investigate and found these six rummaging around inside."

He throws a thumb over his shoulder to the cuffed men and Natsu frowns, getting a closer look at them. Up close he can recognize quite a bit of them and sighs, looking back at the officer.

"Officer, would it be okay if I spoke to them?" The officer nods, stepping away to allow Natsu to walk up to the men.

In front of them, he scowls. "Okay, really? This is something I expected from maybe Uncle Light and Uncle Flame but not from all of you." His eyes land on Gajeel. "Gajeel, I thought I told you to go home and spend the time with Levy and Nickel, not go gallivanting with these old coots."

Igneel snorts, looking at Natsu. "Son, you know we weren't messing with anything. We just wanted to help Gajeel with his gift for Levy."

The pinkette face palms, turning to look at his father. "This is why we don't go to the bar anymore. You and the uncles cook up some harebrained scheme and expect us to go through with it. I don't know why I don't just put you in a retirement home."

"Hey!" His father squawks indignantly. "I'm only forty-five!"

"Then act your age!" Igneel flinches at the retort and Natsu looks back at Gajeel, a small grin appearing. "Alright, while I think we're all clear I'm not gonna press charges on any of you because Aunt Grandine would kill me. I do wanna know how you ended up here."

The welder glares at his own father sitting two people down from him. "Called these fuckers for advice, went to the bar, got the advice, they kidnapped me, Unc. Iggy used the hidden key to let us in, the alarm tripped because Uncle Shadow and Uncle Light were messing with my scrap pile."

Metal scowls. "Oi! Watch who you're talking too. I'm still your father ya know."

Gajeel leans back, glaring at him. "And I will gladly acknowledge and change that statement when we're out of this situation. Until then like every other person sitting in handcuffs you are a fucking dumbass."

Natsu bites back a chuckle, about to reply when a familiar bluenette comes stomping up. He, knowing the signs of an angry woman, wisely backs away to stand beside Lucy.

She slaps Gajeel as an opening argument. The men flinch, hearing how loud it is, while she glares at her boyfriend. "You promised me three things when Nickel was born, Gajeel Redfox. No more trouble; no more getting arrested, and more making me worry."

"Shrimp—"

"You've broken all three of those promises. Don't bother coming back to the house tonight." Gajeel visibly flinches, each of her words striking like a hammer on stone. Levy turns, walking away from the line and he tucks his head into his knees wishing this ordeal would be over with.

Metal, seeing how broken his son is, frowns. He knows this is his fault and needs to make it better. Fast. "Slingshot. I need to fix this." He sighs, muttering just loud enough for Light and Shadow to hear.

Both nod, hooking an ankle around both of his. He leans back, shooting forward enough to use his body weight as leverage to get him on his feet. When he's steady Light and Shadow retract their feet and he runs after Levy ignoring the yells of the cops.

Levy stops in confusion when Metal appears in front of her, looking at her frantically.

"Levy, please. You gotta listen. It wasn't Gajeel's fault. He asked me for advice. You know how my brothers and I get when we're together. Advice usually turns into some stupid idea that's bound to end up with us in a situation similar to this." He doesn't have much time; the cops may have stopped to hear what he has to say but he knows he's in bigger trouble for running while in handcuffs.

"Look, Levy. Be mad at me all you want. Take away my privilege to see the grandkids, I don't care. Just don't be mad at Gajeel. He only wanted help to propose to you."

Natsu face palms. The brothers groan. Gajeel just sits there watching them in stunned silence.

The bluenette bites her lip, turning back to her boyfriend. "Is it true?"

His shoulders fall in relief and he nods smiling at her hopefully. "Yeah, Shrimp, it's true."

Levy slowly walks up to him, her expression unreadable to him until she's close enough to grab him by his shirt and haul him to his feet. She smiles, leaning toward him. She whispers her response before kissing him.

Around her the brothers whoop in joy, having heard her answer.

However, one brother can get only guess, for he watches over his shoulder as a cop leads him to a squad car. He grins, turning away from the scene.

"You got that look in your eye, kid. You've given her your heart of stone and she's turned it to gold. Don't let her go."

The End.

For my first time at solely GaLe what do y'all think?

Sorry for this coming out so late btw, kinda multitasking atm and I need to hurry up and finish this next chapter of TMC before my beta gets mad at finding a half finished chapter in the doc of chapters he's supposed to edit. That being said I wish y'all a Happy Valentine's Day once more and a wonderful night.

Grizzly out for the night.

P.S. Sorry I didn't have any chocolates for y'all.