Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or the characters

Also, all of these ideas are from my own head, I may pull inspiration from certain things but none of my stories are based off someone's Fanfiction or fanart. I am also not trying to copy or take credit for someone's work. If I am inspired by something I will try my best to credit it.

Small little story about Gajeel and his daughter. I think Gajeel would be a very proud, but protective Papa. It's kind of sad, I'm sorry.

Parenting

"Alright bye Dad" Leila said as she reached toward the table for her coat. Gajeel shot up from his spot on the couch.

"Wait a minute young lady. What do you think you're doing."

"I told you in going to Fairy Tail."

"With who?" He stared his daughter down as she brought her own stubborn glare to his own. Mavis did she look like her mother.

"My friends." She responded in a tone that made Gajeel sneer.

"But who." He glared deeper into her eyes and she did the same. Ruby on ruby, the line of sight never wavered from one to the other.

Finally she broke her gaze to laugh.

"Who I always hang out with. Karina, Darian, Mizu, and..." she let her voice drown out as she said the last name, hoping her father wouldn't catch it,..."Marcus".

Gajeel's face fumed. "You mean Salamander's little brat? Hell no. You are not going anywhere with him."

"Why don't you like him?" She was back to her stubborn-self. "I used to hang out with him all the time when we were little."

"Yeah well he's not little anymore. I don't want you hanging around that trash."

"News flash Dad. I'm not little anymore either." She yelled. "I hang around with Karina all the time. Why just target Marcus, she Natsu's too."

He yelled back. "The parents aren't the problem alright its that hormone infused dirt bag son, they've got!"

"He's not bad and you know it!"

"I said no and that's final!"

"BUT DADDY!"

" DAMNIT LEI,I don't want to hear it."

"Why won't you let me do anything anymore? You've kept a tighter leash on me ever since mom died!" The moment she stopped, she regretted her words..

Gajeel drew in a short breath. "Go to your room." Without resistance his daughter his daughter threw her coat back on the table and stomped upstairs

When he heard a door slam shut, he slumped back on the couch. The dragon Slayer brought his left hand up to his mouth and kissed the gold band around his ring finger. "Lev," He whispered, "I need help, I knew this was gonna happen, I'm not parent material. This was always you're department. You were the perfect parent. I was the one who would spoil her, I can't do that anymore Lev, I have to try and be a parent." He took a long pause. The last time he talked to his wife like this was six months ago, when they were leaving on the mission she and Pantherlily had been killed on.

"She looks like you, her smile, her hair, her size." Gajeel laughed remembering his is wife's shortness. "She's got your passion, your heart and fight. She reminds me of you so much." The fifteen year old girl was the exactly of her mother. All except her red, dragon eyes that "contrasted with her sky blue hair" as she would always complain.

"She's beautiful Lev, just like you." He took a long sigh. "That's why I'm scared to let her out into the world. I don't want to lose her too. The world is so dangerous. If it's not missions it's boys. Mavis knows I can't let them near her. She'd end up having little followers like you did." Leila was right, Marcus Dragneel wasn't a bad kid, but he was a boy and he knew all to well how the teenage boy brain worked. Plus Gajeel wasn't an idiot, he could tell his daughter favored Marcus more than her other friends, and he wasn't ready to lose his daughter to anything yet.

"Oh, Levy what am I going to do." He laid his head on the couch and began to drift into a dream.

He was awoken by the sound of someone walking down the hard-wood stairs. "Damn dragon ears" he cursed mentally.

"Dad?" A small voice squeaked. He sat up.

"Yeah, what's-" he stopped abruptly upon looking at his daughter's red, puffy face. He stood to go and console his crying child. But before he could begin walking, Gajeel was brought into a hug. Leila's faced buried in his chest while she cried,

"I'm sorry Daddy. I'm so sorry." He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her head.

"It's okay, please stop crying." When she finally calmed herself a little, he spoke again. "Do you mind telling me what you are sorry about." She let go of him.

"For fighting with you, and what I accused you of..."

It took Gajeel a second to remember. "You've kept a tighter leash on me ever since mom died!" The words were true, and he hadn't thought about how much strain they had put on his daughter. All he wanted to do was keep her safe

But that was keeping her too sheltered.

"No, I am just as much to blame. The last thing on wanted was to stop you from growing to whom you are, and now I've done that. I love you and I want you to be happy." She smiled at him

"Thanks dad."

"Yeah I guess it's time the dragon lets the princess out of the castle."

She giggled "Not exactly, maybe just let her go and seek her prince."

"That sounds like something your mom would say."

"I know Daddy," She hugged him again, "I know."

Sorry about it being depressing, but I hoped you liked it anyway.

let me know what you think. :)