Sons of Magnolia [3]

A sort of crossover of Sons of Anarchy and Fairy Tail

*Gajevy

*NSFW

*Not intended for younger users. Reader's discretion is advised.*

*May contain triggers. That whole show needs a trigger warning ha.

Summary: Gajeel is in a motorcycle club called Sons of Magnolia. Levy is his ex-girlfriend and together they share a young daughter. Levy is against bringing Melina to the club to see her father as there are many dangers being associated with it, but their romantic feelings for each other haven't changed. Gajeel soon gets caught up in a dispute between the club and a rival charter in an illegal gun trade, and the Sons prepare for a war where no one is safe.

Media: Every Part of Me - Godsmack

Wanted Dead or Alive - Bon Jovi

Bunker, six miles outside Magnolia

11:16 pm

Ending the call he'd made to Gajeel, Laxus stuffed the phone into his jeans pocket and hurried to help drop the wooden weapons crate onto the concrete flooring. The lighting in the vast building was extremely poor, but the club preferred it that way even though it made things seem less legal than they already were.

And there was something about doing business in a spotlight that seemed as though the police were watching, just waiting to bust their asses on multiple felony charges.

"Geezes, this thick son of a bitch is heavy," Tig grunted as they pushed it off the skid loader. He, Sting, Chibs, and Laxus each pushed the full, waist-high box onto the flooring with evident effort.

Gray pulled the skid loader out from under it and the crate slammed down the few inches to lay flat with a loud bang. It echoed through the empty bunker and then it left them with silence.

"Are you sure this deal is a good idea? When have the Mayans ever been interested in dealing fairly with us? Or with anyone?" Sting asked. He checked his .9mm pistol, making sure there was a golden round in the chamber. Just in case.

"It was put to a vote. We do what the club decides," Gray answered, giving him a look.

"Yea, but black-market rifles? You know they're just gonna turn on us."

"Mahbe, and mahbe not," Chibs chimed in with his two cents. He dusted off his hands on his black cut and straightened it out. "We'll deal with their bahck-stabbin' asses later if et comes down to et."

Laxus listened to them as he stared at the wooden box. He wished Gajeel was here and not wherever else he was currently. Their Vice President had voted for the trade, alongside his stepfather, Clay. Even though they did not see eye to eye on this issue, Gajeel was still a smooth talker. He would be able to persuade them into anything.

The blond had voted against the trade, but it wasn't enough to sway the outcome. Now minutes until the Mayan representatives would show to commence the meeting, and Laxus was still feeling it in the pit of his stomach. "Would it have been better just to give these to the Sabers? Or keep them for ourselves?"

Gray turned to him. "Why? And then we wouldn't have a profit. What the hell are we gonna do with this many semis?"

"Look," Chibs began calmly in an attempt to end the bickering. He set his fist on the crate. "Clay seht this up with good intentions. If et all goes ta hell en the end, at least we tried to be civil. To keep up theh club's reputation."

There was silence after the man spoke. They all looked around, unsure what to do while they waited for the Mayans. They tried to set their feelings aside, to keep their minds on the Sons' business.

"Guys," Tig commented with crossed arms. He slowly shook his head. His nervous eyes sought out their faces. He said simply, "I don't like this."

The curly haired club member rarely ever questioned the decision-making results within the club, always followed what everyone else agreed upon. But sometimes he listened to his gut. And this was one of those rare times.

"Well, there's no going back now. Just gotta ride this wave 'til it's over," Laxus replied. He ran his hand through his short blond hair as he tried to shake away the nerves.

At 11:25, Tig and Sting left the bunker. The two headed for the treeline, up the hill behind the building. They wouldn't be able to see what went down, but they would hear it, thanks to the earpiece in Chibs' ear, connected wirelessly to the one in Tig's.

The rest still at the bunker went outside to wait for the other half of the trade in the fresh air. Not until ten minutes later did they heard the distant humming roar of motorcycles.

"Alright, let meh do the talking. Keep your hands from your cuts," Chibs announced. He knew the boys would be packing underneath their club vests and if the Mayans got suspicious of them, they could be mowed down without question.

Lights started to brighten the trees that surrounded the building as the Mayans approached in the darkness. The boys went back inside and opened the sliding doors to reveal the interior. The roar grew louder until the bikes were in the gravel lot, followed by a huge truck in order to haul the heavy, illegal goods.

"Can you hear meh?" he said easily, the question for Tig.

"Loud and clear."

The roars suddenly silenced, the lights shutting off.

11:38 p.m.

Laxus' eyes shifted from the other gang members to his own standing near him. This trade could go down any path. Good or bad. None of them knew what would happen, and no doubt they all hoped it wasn't a bloodbath.

The silhouettes of the men closing the distance entered the threshold. More men that what had been agreed upon. Their boots slowly clicked on the smooth concrete as they half surrounded the three Sons. A voice spoke up. "Well, well. The Sons have delivered then."

Chibs struggled not to react to the blatant changes made. He unclenched his fists at his side. There was a tone in his voice he hoped wouldn't convey his displeasure too much. "Just like Clay had promised."

The Mayan who had spoken walked into the light from the only source in the building. His brown eyes scanned the room and then eyed the crate. He waved two fingers at the box, signaling two of his men. They took up the crowbars and pried open the wooden lid. The discarded lid made a hollow echoing sound as it crashed to the floor.

One of them held up a shiny, black unloaded assault rifle, just one of many buried in paper shavings.

"Is it all there?" The Mayan asked Chibs.

"Yes."

"Can I trust the word of a Son?"

Chibs gave a firm nod. "Just ahsk theh clubs in the surrounding area. The Sabers can vouch for our integrity."

The Mayan spat, a frown turning his expression. "The Sabers are shit. Too soft, they don't give a fuck what happens in their town. The cops have overrun it. Might as well disband the whole god damn charter. Which is what will happen to the Sons if they jump into bed with them."

Laxus cringed with the exchange. He glanced at Gray. The frown on the man's face was on the verge of turning into a scowl. Chibs bowed his head, trying to come up with something in return.

"Well, I'm sorry you feel that way. We aren't trying to pull anythang over you, we just wanted ta keep theh peace between our charters. A show of goodwill."

There was a chuckle. The Mayan who seemed to be the deal's lead gave Chibs a look. A smirk on his face. "Is Clay expecting a war or something? Or has he done something stupid and is now trying to make up for it?"

That caused Chibs to frown. "I have no fuckin' clue what you're talking abowt. It's striving for good relations. That's it. We provide a service for cash in return. Both parties satisfied. Simple."

"Simple…" the Mayan repeated. He walked up to the crate and reached in. He held up a rifle and looked into the small scope attached to the top on the barrel. "If that is all this is. What's your price?"

"Sixty."

The man nonchalantly tossed the rifle back into the large box. "No."

"It's what Clay and Marshall agreed to," Chibs said with a shrug.

"I'm not Marshall," the Mayan snapped. He turned to Chibs and leaned towards him. "You think you stand behind your President, doing your club and town a kind of service. I don't fucking bend to rules I feel are limiting. I make my own. Some decisions are better made yourself than following a list set by some dumbass with too much time on his hands."

The Scottish Son shook his head in disbelief. His tone was one of faux awe. "You're in ah hurry ta die, aren't you. Have you ever heard of the word 'consequences'?"

The man smirked and it seemed as if he was preparing to sucker punch the Scotsman. Chibs stared back at him, unrelenting and unafraid of a fist to the face.

From behind them, Laxus tensed. He fought the urge to draw his pistol. Gray's fists were clenched. His shoulders were hunched, looking as though he were about to pounce.

The Mayan finally opened his mouth to speak. "We're done here."

"You sure abowt that?"

The man hesitated in leaving, straightening his back and staring him down. He stood a few inches taller than Chibs. The rest of his crew were relaxed, just waiting for their leader to give the word. The word to leave. Or draw weapons.

He glanced to the crate the Sons had provided. "Forty," he stated. His tone was final.

"That's an undercut."

"Forty."

"Fifty then. We can deal with ah ten grand loss."

The Mayan showed his teeth as his lips pulled back. "Forty. Plus ten for the mods. All of them."

Chibs flashed his teeth, careful to keep still as he threatened, "You dirty bastard. You know full an' well those mods are worth at least twenty-five on their own, not ta mention theh separate attachments."

The man before him waved his hand and his crew began to pack up the crate to take it with them. He sneered. "Take it or leave it."

The Son risked a glance backward at the other two. There was no other choice. If they didn't accept the price, the Mayans would mark them as double-crossers. If they gave them the black market items as is and accepted the deal, the Mayans would mark them as weak and it could start something the Sons weren't prepared for in the least.

It was a lose-lose all the way around.

The blond rolled his blue eyes. His VP friend had been right; the shithead bastards had fucked them over. He watched as Chibs finally relented, backing away after giving the nod. His expression was disturbed, and Laxus saw the wheels in his head spinning.

This wasn't good.

Chibs put a hand discreetly to his ear as he glanced to the blond and to Gray behind him, no doubt enduring the never-ending curses that flew out of Tig's mouth as he and Sting listened in from afar.

This was not good at all.

He awoke in a warm daze from the light in the window. For a moment, Gajeel was unsure where he was, other than in a bed with yellow sheets. He rolled over, sitting up on an elbow and blinked the sleep from his eyes.

Beside him Levy was still asleep. She had most of the sheets on her side, leaving him with a corner. Remembering what had occurred that night before they went to bed, Gajeel pursed his lips. Everything came back. The sex. The trade. And how one of those went down the shitter.

"Fuck," he snapped none too quietly, holding his head in his hand. There would be a lot of damage control in the days to come.

Taking a deep breath, he tilted his head back and opened his eyes.

A little girl stared up at him from the foot of the bed. She clutched the stuffed horse in her arm, hugging it tightly to her chest.

"Shi- crap," he muttered. He stared back at her, unsure what to do. Had she heard him drop the F-bomb?

He wasn't supposed to be there. He and Melina's mother weren't together. Last night was a fluke. There wasn't anything between the two of them anymore, aside from great sex and a daughter. If he was here too much and Melina thought it was her new normal, his certain absence from the house later on would confuse her. Gajeel didn't want that.

"Hi daddy," she stated. She rubbed her eye. "I'm hungry."

"Uh, ok." Shit, what to do. He turned to his ex.

She was oblivious to the situation, looking rather peaceful as she slept. He didn't particularly want to wake her, given it was late when they finished and went to bed. Levy took care of everything involving Melina on a day to day basis. What did he do to contribute? All he did was pay monthly installments for child support.

"Can I have cereal?" Melina asked innocently, breaking his chain of thought. She began to walk to his side of the bed.

"Uh, no. Stay right there," he said. The last thing he needed was his daughter climbing into the bed. Levy had told him she hadn't wanted her seeing them in bed together. Without clothes. "You go wait in the kitchen. Lemme get dressed and I'll get you breakfast."

Melina nodded and promptly padded out of the room to do what she was told.

Gajeel threw back his head one more time and sighed.

There was shit he needed to do. He needed to head back to the clubhouse so they could all try to fix the mess made with the Mayans. However, as much as he hadn't been there in the past, he had a family. His insides were beginning to tear in two. He felt constantly pulled towards the club and as well as towards Levy and Melina.

This would all be a whole lot easier if Levy would stop trying to stay away "for safety". Ironically, she'd be safer within the confines of the club.

Dressed in the same clothes he wore the night before -save for his cut- he shuffled into Levy's kitchen. Melina rushed to him, hopping as she did.

"Where's your ma keep the cereal?"

Her little hand gripped his and she guided him towards one end of the room. She let go of his hand to point up above the fridge. He saw three different kinds. The Cheerios were Levy's, without a doubt. They had always been her favorite.

"Red or blue box?" he asked.

"Red."

He took down the Fruity Pebbles and proceeded to gather all the necessary items to produce breakfast for his daughter. While she ate at the small table in the corner, he prepared the coffee maker and then waited the few minutes it took for it to brew.

He was mentally making a list of things to do once he left Levy's. His friends were also most likely trying to find his ass. They never jumped to conclusions, however wrong or right they were, but he didn't want to leave them all in the dark. Gajeel knew they would never think to look at his ex's place.

So wrapped up in his thoughts while he poured himself a cup of coffee, he jumped when he felt a different presence. He missed the cup, spilling a little of the hot liquid on the counter.

"Geezes, Levy," he breathed. He set the glass pot on the holder and wiped the spill with a nearby hand towel.

The bluenette had donned clothing before wandering through the house. Her shorts and tank top reminded him of last night. And then his stomach dropped. What were they doing? They weren't going to get back together, were they? It would ultimately be her decision. He wasn't going to force himself into her life.

He would admit though that getting back together with her was something he wanted.

He slowly received visible chills after she ran her hand down his arm. "I'm sorry. I woke up and you weren't in bed."

"Yea. Someone was hungry," he said and motioned to the other person in the room.

"Ahh.. Your daddy made you breakfast?" Levy said in an upbeat tone to Melina. "Is it good?"

"Uh-huh."

Gajeel caught Levy's eye and murmured, "She's a quiet little thing. Took me by surprise. And I think she heard me say 'fuck'."

Levy's expression changed to the mother side he saw in her most of the time. "Honey, you can't curse around a three-year-old. They repeat everything you say."

"I'm well aware," Gajeel said before taking a tiny sip of coffee. "It was an accident."

The man was also aware of what she had called him for a term of endearment. Whether it had been an accidental slip of the tongue or not, he wasn't going to tell her any different. He watched her walk away from him to open the fridge. His gaze lingered on her ass as he sipped his drink.

The tiny, delicious, irresistible woman clouded his mind.

"Thank you," she said suddenly. Her sweet voice was airy.

"For?"

Levy set a carton of orange juice on the counter. "Taking care of Melina this morning. You could have woke me to do that."

Gajeel waved it away with a shake of his head. She didn't have to thank him for that. He was her child's father.

"I-I was also hoping to talk to you," Levy said hesitantly. She paused before she poured the juice into a glass. Hazel eyes refused to look at him.

Deep down, Levy wanted Gajeel to stay. She wanted him around the house, she wanted him in her life. In Melina's life. She just didn't know how to get either of them to that point. He was a busy, important man. Would he want to add the two of them to his already full plate?

Setting down the cup, Gajeel asked, "About what?"

When she hesitated again, unsure of how to say she wanted him back, he let out a rough sigh. He had planned on heading out as soon as he could after seeing her that morning. "Baby, I got shit -I mean crap- to do today for the club," he amended, glancing at Melina. "Whatever you wanna talk about, I'm here now. But if not, it's almost 11am. The club'll be out looking for my body if I don't head out there soon."

Levy's heart sank. It was one of the worst things he could have said. Her eyes became hot as tears threatened her. She willed her voice not to waver in her reply. "It's nothing. You're right, you should go."

"Lev." He stepped towards her, angling his body directly behind her. His hands rested on either side of her hips. He hated when she went silent like that. It only meant that she was angry or sad. "Don't do that."

When she didn't oblige in a direct response, he firmly turned her around to face him. Seeing her eyes glisten with unshed tears made him mentally kick himself in the ass. Did he just now do that to her?

"Tell me what's going on in that pretty head of yours," he gently prompted. Red eyes gazed down into hers, pleading. "I can't fix it if I don't know what you're thinking. If you won't tell me."

The night they spent together had been one of the best in a long time for him. All she needed to do was say the word and he'd give her everything he could. They'd get back together. He'd move back in. He'd finally be the father he had wanted to be. And eventually -hopefully- the kind of husband she could be proud of. The stubborn woman already had his heart.

He bent his head to kiss her, to evoke some reaction or words from her. Their lips fit perfectly to each other. There was some relief releasing weight off his shoulders when he felt her kiss him back with some strength. He opened his eyes to see a single tear falling down her cheek.

"Baby," he said, looking into her eyes.

His thumb brushed away the teardrop. She opened her eyes and another one fell, which he quickly caught.

The pain Gajeel inadvertently caused her was almost unbearable. Her heart broke knowing she'd always come second to the club. He could never fully be there for her unless she decided to come back. The decision, she realized, was hers and hers alone. She had to make the right one for not only herself but for her child.

Though now, she didn't know what to say. She did her best to give him a smile. "It's not important right now. Go do what you need to do, Gajeel. Then come back."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, honey. Go."

His lips left their mark on her forehead, rubbing his hands down her bare arms. "Tonight."

Levy could only nod in answer. She swallowed when he said goodbye to Melina. There was a certain sort of happiness in his voice.

"I have to go to work now, but I'll be back tonight." He kissed the top of her black hair.

A large smile split Melina's face, followed by a squeal of delight. She looked up at him and asked innocently, "Are you gonna sleep with mommy again?"

Gajeel gave a small chuckle and shifted his eyes to Levy. She stared after him, the smile fading as she caught his gaze once again. Before he could turn to leave, she spoke up. "Please be careful."

He nodded, striding out of the kitchen to grab his cut, phone, and gun from the bedroom. He tried to slip out unnoticed through the front door, but as he reached it the phone in his hands started ringing.

He brought it to his ear, rolling his eyes and knowing who it was. "Yea, yea, I'm on my way."

His friend's voice barked at him from the other end. "Where the hell have you been?"

"I've had some personal business to take care of. Calm the fuck down. I'm leaving for the compound now," Gajeel casually replied. He opened the door and hurried out, careful not to slam the door behind him.

Through the kitchen window, Levy sipped at her glass of orange juice and watched the man she loved talk on the phone. He sat on his black and chrome bike, the device held up to his ear. She often wondered what all he had to deal with on a regular basis. Most of the time she knew the saying was true: what she didn't know, didn't hurt her. She was privy to only a few shady details if he ever cared to share. But she liked to be kept in the dark.

And when he didn't give her those morsels of info, that usually meant that Gajeel had been or would be put in harm's way.

The black-haired man put the phone away and started up the bike. The sudden, deep roar of the motor filled the yard. He quickly lit a cigarette and prepared the bike to leave. A few glances to the road and the roaring bike took off down the street, taking him along with it.

She soundlessly prayed that he be kept safe.

The last words barely registered audibly in her own ears. "Please come back to me."

He killed the motor when he parked his bike in the lot. He hopped off his ride, seeing the main door open. Gemma had one manicured hand to her chest as she walked out. There was a relieved expression on her face. She stopped once she saw her son and let Laxus stride out from behind her to meet him.

"Dude, where've you been?" The man asked.

"Personal business."

The blond's eyes narrowed. That wasn't the only time his friend had told him that over a twenty-four hour period. It was a woman. It had to have been. Gajeel wasn't the type of guy to not give them any notice if he was going to be out for the night, unaccounted for.

"Levy? You're still fuckin' Levy."

"Shut up." Gajeel neither confirmed nor denied it. He just kept walking.

Laxus nudged him with his arm. He was impressed that he had guessed right. "I'm not gonna give you any shit for it. She's a hot piece of ass-"

"You done yet?" Gajeel stopped to face him. He didn't mind when others called her sexy, but today was just not the day. His mother caught his eye by the door some feet away. It was as if she was waiting for him like a mother duck patiently waited for her ducklings to follow.

"What's goin' on?" He asked, switching from the topic of his choice in pussy to the genuine confusion he felt upon arriving at the compound. Things didn't seem normal. The atmosphere of the club was somehow off, even in the open air outside.

His long-time friend took a breath. He said, "That's why we've been trying to get ahold of you. It's the Mayans."

"What about them?"

Laxus saw the club's matriarch striding towards them with a purpose. Her tall heels clicked on the pavement in rapid succession. Gajeel followed his eyes and waited until Gemma met them.

"Gajeel, we've got a load of shit to sort out," she said with some concern. She looked both worried and pissed at the same time.

"Would somebody just fuckin' tell me what's goin' on?" her son roughly demanded. His frustration was steadily rising with each passing moment.

"The Mayans must have kicked up a huge stink about last night's trade to the rest of their club. Now Marshall's blaming Clay for the miscommunication."

Gajeel immediately narrowed his eyes, not wanting to believe what he was hearing. "A miscommunication? What the hell? They were the ones to stiff us the agreed upon price!"

Gemma shook her head. "You should know by now that trying to deal with them is always a bad idea. We were afraid something had happened to you when you didn't come home this morning."

Levy's face flashed before Gajeel's mind's eye. His stomach dropped to his feet when he realized. It was a serious issue when Gemma was worried. His typically grounded and stable mother was hardly ever anxious about him.

Should he be as well?

Laxus took a deep breath. "He's targeting Clay and his immediate family. That means you and Ma," he muttered, nodded towards Gajeel's mom.

It was what he had been afraid of. It had been in the back of his mind since Laxus had called with the undesirable results of the trade. Because he had been with Levy, he had been able to put it out of his thoughts. Now fear was free to creep back into his life.

"Oh, shit."