AN: I love music. I thought Gajeel would too. This is an all new Gajevy story. It's going to be a little different than my last one. I will have added an artist list and songs they do that are similar to what I believe Gajeel's band would be into. If you haven't already, check out my other Gajevy multi-chapter stories, Fighting Redfox and What About Now. I have Gajevy one-shots as well.
Storyline: [AU] "Black Dragon Realm" (BDR) is hot on the up and coming list - and they're coming to your city! Gajeel and his bandmates have struck gold on a record deal and their manager sets the sails. When a band member decides to leave for good, they fear they may have to pull on the plug on their new-found dreams. None of them ever expected just who would save their metal-rocking music careers.
*Rated Mature - There is: strong use of language, drug usage, minor violence, some sexual situations, and a lot of humor. Reader discretion is advised.
*Credit is due to JadeOccelot for helping me come up with ideas.
*I do not own any of the pictures or other media.
*I do not own any of Fairy Tail - that's all Hiro Mashima.
AN: I have no idea how signing to a recording label works. Just sayin'. Lol.
Chapter 2 - Shit and Sign
Gajeel awoke to the sunlight on his face from the open window. Birds loudly chirped outside in the tree. He drug himself up from the mattress to shut the window. It silenced the birds, but when he laid back down, the sunlight continued to stream inside. Directly on his bed. He now had regrets in breaking the pull string of his blinds; they were stuck all bunched together at the top.
He sat up. Someone was already up and had their guitar out downstairs. The crack of an amp whistled through the house. Gajeel checked the time on his phone before pulling on his shorts.
The door across the hall was left open. There was a laundry basket by the doorway full of girly materials. The floor was spotless; Levy was cleaner than the rest of them. She emerged from the bathroom with some towels bunched in her arms. He watched her throw them with the rest. "You goin' to work?"
She turned to him. "Not today. You?"
"Nope. I thought you were scheduled?"
"I was, but I asked Lucy to switch shifts." Not knowing what she was doing, she bent over in front of him to pick up the full basket.
His red eyes followed her as she began her descent down the steps to the main level. He then closely followed her down. His gaze wandered down from her ponytail to the seat of her pink Soffe shorts.
Levy was gorgeous but she had always been one of the guys. He still wondered why she accepted the job as band manager. It hadn't exactly been paying off as a career, even when a label representative sought them out. When they had told her she was hired, she had moved into the house despite the guy to girl ratio. None of them had hit on her, as all of them at one point in time had had significant others -that obviously hadn't worked out. And they all viewed her differently from the very beginning. She was essentially a co-worker. Or rather a boss.
She had made that clear. In the last year, Gajeel had never once seen Levy bring home a man or go on a date. He wasn't sure if she was even in the dating scene. She had never shown any interest of any of them either. The small woman was serious with an all-work mentality.
A guitar riff blared through the house before they reached the last step. She split right towards the washing machine next to the back door. Gajeel looked to his left into the large living room as he took the last stair. Gray sat on the couch with his foot on the coffee table. His blue guitar nestled on his lap, he focused on the television screen as his fingers ran over the fretboard in a pattern he obviously knew from memory. It was the melody of one of their old songs.
"Where's Natsu?" Gajeel asked through a yawn. His eyes skimmed over the various empty cans from the previous night. No one had cleaned up after their intense game of cards. Levy, of course, would take it upon herself to do it despite having no association with it.
"He's out working."
Gajeel smirked and joked, "The one corner today?"
His jest made Gray snort with a chuckle. "The same one. They get a lot of business on that street apparently."
Gajeel shook his head. "He doesn't have to keep that job. There's other places hiring. I'm surprised he hasn't quit yet."
"Well, the thing is," Gray laid his hand flat on the strings, silencing his instrument. "Natsu likes it. He couldn't care less who sees him out there. It's a little degrading if you ask me." His fingers picked up where he had left off on the strings, resuming the melody as if he hadn't paused.
His phone vibrated on the end table beside him. He again silenced his guitar to pick it up. A chuckle escaped him and turned the screen towards Gajeel. "Speaking of," he said with a smirk.
It was a media message from Laxus. It read: 'I found our best little hooker on my way home' and a picture was attached. It was taken from a red light of a corner at a busy intersection. Natsu stood by the metal light pole in the grass, dressed in an inflatable guitar costume holding a large sign for the music store where he was employed.
Gajeel took one look and began laughing. "That's one good looking son of a bitch."
"Right."
The sound of the washer lid closing caused Gajeel to look in that direction. He casually turned to Gray. "Don't let Levy see you with your foot on the furniture."
Gray shook his head as his concentration faltered and one of his fingers slipped off the last string. He promptly took his socked foot of the wooden edge as Levy appeared in the doorway.
"Anyone need laundry done?"
Both men shook their heads.
Levy narrowed her eyes. "Mhm…" She knew there was more dirty clothing lying in their rooms than clean. But instead of voicing her opinion, she turned to look at the work schedules pinned to the fridge under various magnets.
She sidestepped when Gajeel came up behind her to open the door. The cool air seeped out onto the hardwood floor. He quickly took a large gulp of orange juice from the carton.
"Laxus comes home soon, Natsu at 1:30. They're the only ones working right now? Where's Sting?" Levy asked to no one in particular. She placed her fingers on her chin as she gazed on the different work schedules.
"He said something about a girl," Gajeel voiced. He tilted the orange juice for another chug.
"This morning?"
He shook his head. "No, last night." He arched an eyebrow after reading Sting's schedule for that day. He didn't have to go into work. That kid was luckier than the rest of them, in more ways than one.
Levy made a noise with her mouth. "He better be here and ready to leave."
Gajeel quickly put the carton back and closed the appliance door, sealing the cool air up again. He understood. It was Wednesday; no one needed reminding. "I'm sure he'll be back before we need to leave."
Levy gave him a level look. "He was supposed to be here already. No one told me he was staying somewhere else."
"So what's the problem?" He put his hands on his hips.
"It was his turn to do lunch. Laxus and Natsu will have eaten at work, but that leaves us four. Or three…"
"I'll go pick up something," he offered with a shrug. He honestly didn't want to, but Levy had asked and had been let down.
Her hazel eyes lit up. "Really? I was going to do it myself."
Gajeel left to grab a shirt from the clean laundry and his shoes. "You want anything specific?"
"Yes," she hurried after him. "I'll just go with you."
He threw on his black Vans and headed out the door after Levy slid past him. "I'll drive," Gajeel called and caught the keys she tossed to him.
They drove down the street with the A/C on full. It was nearing the end of May and the days were growing hotter. With their label signing that afternoon, they all planned on celebrating with a cookout the same evening. That Friday night they had their last headlining gig for the spring at the Yukon a few towns away. It was a great end to a new and exciting beginning. None of them knew what to expect, only that they would finally record an album.
"Where should I go?" He asked. He was stopped behind a line of cars at a light.
"Hmm…" Levy hummed, her eyes scanned the establishments' signs along the road. "Would Gray like chicken?"
He snorted. "He'd eat anything edible."
"Ok…"
"So Lee's then?" Gajeel switched on his turn signal. He glanced over at her when there wasn't an answer. Her lips were pursed.
"You guys can get that. I want something lighter."
Gajeel struggled to rein in his sigh and turned contently to her when they stopped. He wasn't frustrated in the slightest; he knew Levy well enough to expect she wouldn't want fried chicken. She had been thinking of them first. Like a mother, she tended to the band members first before her own needs.
"Alright. Tell me where to after." He guided the truck into the drive-thru to order. He tried to hide his smile as he waited on the car before him. The woman beside him took care of everyone else with no thought to herself. It made Gajeel's warm, tingling feelings for her grow even more. Levy was an example for him and the others to follow. She was selfless.
"What?" Levy suddenly asked when she saw him.
It caused him to quickly glance away. He made a slight face and shook his head once. "Nothing."
"No, what?" She asked again with a giggle. "Tell me."
"Nothing to tell." He looked her in the eye.
She poked him in the side, her fingers grazing the skin of his torso showing in the wide cut-off sleeve. The muscles there were taut under the smooth tanned skin. She quickly pulled back, aware of just what she had touched. Her eyes slowly shifted from his side to his face.
"Tell me," she said again and then smiled, showing her white teeth.
It hurt Gajeel to see her like that; extremely beautiful and happy-go-lucky, and knowing he'd never he able to hold her like he wanted to. Talk with her like he wished he could. Or kiss those lips that spoke his name. He gazed at her while the ache pulled at his chest.
She was off limits.
The worker in the window handed them their food and Gajeel used it as an excuse to let her demand go unheeded. He gave Levy the brown paper sack and headed for the main roads. "Where to, Boss?"
Levy's unanswered question vanished as she had to hurry to decide what to eat. She gazed out the window. "Turn here."
Gajeel frowned as he did so. "This is a burger joint."
"They have good salads too," Levy argued.
When they had their lunch together, they made their way back to the house. Gajeel carried it all, letting Levy go inside first. Cool air hit them, an instant relief to the outside humidity. Gray was still where they left him, only he was now watching tv. His guitar was laying on the couch beside him.
Gajeel set their food on the coffee table but was too slow to shove Gray's feet off before Levy saw it. "Gray!" She cried. She smacked his socks with her hand. "How many times do I have to yell at you for this?!"
Gajeel sat on the other side of the couch to eat. In surprise to Levy's sudden outburst, Gray pulled his legs back. "What!"
She took her container of salad out of the bag, which was beside where his feet had been. "I don't want to smell stinky feet while I'm eating."
"I told you, man," Gajeel commented with a full mouth. He snatched the remote from Gray to change the channel.
Laxus honked the horn again. He let out a frustrated sigh. "Damn. What's takin' him so long?"
"We'll be ok," Gray stated. He looked up at the rearview mirror to see Laxus' blue eyes staring back at him. "Levy called ahead."
Levy nodded, checking her watch. "But still, if we don't leave soon, we'll be overly late… I thought he said he just forgot something."
No one said anything. They knew him well. If it was what they thought it was… Everyone sort of looked at each other or out the window at the street, wishing they were already on the road. It was an awkward silence. The minutes ticked by.
"I-is he ok?" Natsu finally broke the quiet. His voice was coated with concern.
"Knowing his habits, no," Sting replied with a laugh. He scratched his head and looked down at his lap when Levy gave him a look from the front passenger seat.
"I'll go get him." Levy unbuckled her seatbelt and opened the door.
Laxus turned towards her. His blue eyes were serious. "I wouldn't. Call him first."
"But-" She began but was cut off before she could slide out of the van. Her fingers touched her pocketed phone through her jeans.
"Trust me." He placed his hand back on the wheel, then glanced up at the front door again and rolled his eyes. "Finally…" He turned the keys in the ignition to start up the van.
Gajeel emerged from the house and shut the door behind him. He jogged to the open van door and hopped inside, quickly strapping in while Laxus pulled out onto the street. "Sorry."
Laxus growled. "Yea… I'm sure. You better not make us late to our own signing."
"You alright?" Gray asked with a chuckle. He looked from the window next to him to the man sitting to his right.
Gajeel nodded. He rubbed his stomach. "Yep. This time."
Sting laughed from the farthest back seat beside Natsu. "Levy was about to come get you."
A slight red tint appeared on Gajeel's cheeks. "I'm glad someone stopped her. It was bad."
The van snickered as the men reacted to the implied statement. Levy frowned and turned around in her seat to face him. "What do you mean? What happened?"
Before the small issue could be addressed, Sting loudly announced, "We're late 'cause Gajeel took a huge shit."
The moment the last word slipped from his mouth, Gajeel unbuckled his belt and was reaching behind the seat to lay hands on the blond, growling as he did. "You stupid ass-"
He struck Sting in the shoulder, but the younger man just kept laughing and shrugged it off.
"You should lay off the spicy sauce from now on," Gray commented with a smirk. "That's gotta be hell on your digestive tract."
"It is. But I like my food hot."
"Do you also like fiery shits?"
"Your poor asshole-" Natsu started in.
"Guys," Levy interrupted. She turned around to face the front with a look of disgust."Can we please change the subject?"
"Come on, Lev. Everyone poops."
"Everyone but you."
"Everyone but Levy. We all know women don't do that shit."
More laughter erupted from the back passenger seats. She fought the pull on her lips at the comments made. Despite the topics that frequently came up, she loved when the guys all got along. It was all light-hearted and in good fun. It was a family she was glad she had.
"Ok guys," Levy said, though the laugh was trying to slip out with her words. "No poop jokes while we're at the studio. It's all professionalism from the moment we exit the van."
"Right," Laxus said. "And then on the way home, we make a pit stop at the store for more toilet paper and bathroom spray."
That caused more snickers and giggles. Levy took a deep breath. Her fingers found her forehead. The boys had better behave. They all had careers on the line.
By the time they arrived at Riseforth Records' company building, the lot of them were itching to leave the van to stretch their muscles. Levy led the way, reminding them to make a good impression. She caught Gajeel's stare and smiled. He took a few hurried steps to open the door for her and the others.
The building was plain on the outside, a lay of sandy-beige bricks with grey trim. Inside, however, was completely different. The front room was an impressive reception and waiting area with pinkish glitter- marble flooring. Important walkways had black rugs. The walls were covered with posters of past albums the company had produced.
The reception desk was a large half circle of the same pink marble facing the front entry. A woman was seated behind it, only the top half of her face could be seen until she sat up in her chair. She smiled. "Hello, can I help you?"
"Um, hi. My name is Levy. We're here to see one of your representatives," Levy spoke up and handed the woman the card she had been given when the band last performed.
The woman nodded. "John told me you would be coming. I'll let him know you're here." She picked up the phone next to her and pushed a button.
Levy turned to see Laxus mouth something to the others. She felt a presence next to her on the opposite side and glanced over to see a hand on her shoulder. Gajeel gently squeezed and gave her a small smile. She could tell he was excited.
The woman hung up the phone. "He'll be right out."
"Ok, thank you," Levy said. She could feel the emotions of the men behind her as if they were her own. Excitement. Nervousness. Happiness.
Almost as soon as the reception woman picked up the phone to make a call, the hallway door behind her opened. The same man Levy had met gazed at them with a smooth smile. His crisp white button-up and tan slacks made him seem more than important.
"Miss McGarden. It's good to see you and the band again. Come with me, please."
They followed through the door, all casting wide eyes to the decorated album-covered walls. They entered a room with a large table and chairs. It was one of their conference rooms. A lawyer for the company rose from his chair to shake each one of their hands, just as John had done. After they were seated, John spoke.
"I'm glad you could come here today. As I have told your manager, I do scouting for potential clients and when I saw the flier for Black Dragon Realm, I had to come see your performance for myself. It was what moved me to contact Miss McGarden." He gave her sizeable smile. His eyes lingered on her for a moment too long; Gajeel's red eyes slightly narrowed.
The representative went on, turning to the band members, grabbing a sheet of paper from his stack, poised to write. "I realize I don't know your names."
Laxus cleared his throat, looking down the line of his friends before bringing his eyes to John. "I'm Laxus Dreyar, and I'm clean vocals and guitar."
Gajeel went after him, staring hard at the man. There was something he didn't like about the man. "Gajeel Redfox, one bad-ass drummer."
John chuckled while wrote down the information. He was upbeat and receptive to their words. After he told them the initial up-front formalities, he was handed the record label contract from the lawyer. "This is the official contract you will sign to record on our label. We will get to that shortly. But first, my boss would like to hear from you. See what you can put out on the spot."
No one moved. All eyes froze on the man.
"You mean… right now," Gray supplied. He tapped his finger on the table once.
"Yes, and with our instruments. Just to give my boss a taste of what you are and for the recording crew of what they will be working with. Of course, you can use your own once we've set a starting date. Trust me, there has been a reason for this step."
Levy could sense the surprise in her boys. She spoke up with an upbeat tone. "I think that's great. It gives you guys a chance to show off, right?"
Catching her glance, Gajeel took a deep breath. "Right." He stood up and the others followed suit.
"Where you want us?" Laxus asked.
They were led to a maroon colored room. Levy and the lawyer entered a small booth-like room where they could watch, which was also where the recording crew manned the equipment and soundboard. The wall above the recording equipment was made of glass. Levy saw everything the group did once they picked out their instruments.
While the other as tested their guitars, Gajeel sat behind the large, elaborate drum set. He gripped the drumsticks and gazed at the sight before him. The kit was complete with even more cymbals and parts to it than his own. He took a closed mouth breath played a simple beat.
He altered it to add a double pedal rhythm and more cymbals. He grabbed the crash cymbal with two fingers to silence it. The smile on his face was one that from the recording room, Levy couldn't help but match.
Gray strummed the plain black guitar a few times to get a feel for it. "What song should we do?"
"Can we do anything?" Laxus turned to John, who was still in the room in case they needed anything else.
"Anything. Covers, originals, public domain, whatever you decide on. Once my boss arrives, you can start." John checked his watch. He started to leave the room. "We can talk through the mics," he motioned to the microphones hanging from the ceiling.
"What you think?" Laxus asked Sting.
"I'm down for whatever."
Natsu nodded his agreement, standing behind the keyboard with a black bass guitar strapped around his shoulder.
They didn't have time to keep thinking, as John's boss appeared in the doorway behind the soundboard. He was dressed in a black business suit looking very professional. He shook Levy's hand and then turned to John, who stood beside her.
"What are we playing?" Gajeel asked with concern. His feet hit the bass pedals in anticipation. The surge of sound made them turn around. Levy gave them an excited smile.
None of them knew what song best showcased their art. Whenever someone suggested something, it was rejected. Frustration was plain on their faces and in the way they spoke to each other. Laxus glanced at the glass, seeing the boss look at the clock on the wall.
Levy saw it too. She had been wondering which song they'd play. Each time they brought up one she thought sounded great, they discarded it. There was a few they hadn't thought of yet. She frowned, then leaned into one of the mics on her end. "Why don't you play Fate?"
Gajeel was immediately poised to perform it. Why hadn't he thought of that? It was one of their old ones. He looked to Laxus, ready to go. He nodded and motioned to the others, and they prepared themselves. On the count of Gajeel's sticks, they began.
Laxus played a few single notes on his guitar in two measures, with Sting adding a few of his own before the others joined in. Gajeel's burst of drumming rang through the room along with Natsu's bass and Gray's guitar. He added some flare to his drumming riffs with both bass pedals and went back to a single one when the guitars prepared for the first verse.
"Am I meant to be something," Laxus sang into the mic hanging overhead. He strummed his guitar and let the sound go for a minute before repeating it again, all while the other guitars played their own notes for the melody and harmony. "Is this the song I'm supposed to sing?"
Gray added his singing voice to Laxus' for the next line. "These questions need answers."
The next verse was all Gray, who instead of singing it, he changed his voice into a loud growl. "Was my life already scripted? If I need to can I change the words?"
While he was still growling out the last word, Laxus started singing, "These questions need answers."
They both focused on their guitars for a measure, and Gajeel played a fast, double-pedal riff going into the chorus. Again they sang in unison. "Are we alone? Are we in control? Can we choose to play a different role? Can we change the grave that was dug for us, or is this the only path to take?"
The musicians played the same intro into the first verse with some extra, added flare to make the sound just a tiny bit different from the beginning and began the second verse.
John's boss nodded along with it as he watched and listened to their sound that came through from the soundboard; it was what they would sound like on the radio. He turned to look at Levy. "Is this an original song of theirs?"
"Yes sir," she responded pleasantly. She smiled. "They write their own stuff. Laxus-" she pointed. "-is the one who writes most of them."
"How long have you been their manager?"
"About a year."
"She made their advertising fliers," John added and handed his boss the homemade poster. There was a gold and blue highlighted black dragon in the center. The black-edged gold, laminated cardstock was classy, with large wording when necessary to focus on the band name and of what venue where they would be for the Friday night headlining.
"This is well done." He looked up from the poster and watched the men play the instruments, noting their energy and general presence. Imagining them on a large stage was not hard to do; they were all at ease with their talents and the music's spirit seemed to effortlessly pour from their beings. It was just as a part of them as it was natural to breathe.
"Was there a crowd?" He asked Levy, slightly holding up the paper in his hands. And she knew what he was referring to.
"At first, there wasn't really a crowd. As they began playing every Friday night at various places, their reputation grew. It was maybe two or three months. The last few places we played, there were larger ones."
John added his two cents, doing his best to advocate for the band. He told him of the line of people wanting to purchase merchandise that Levy had smoothly worked through by herself. "She could have sold more had there been more to sell and another to help," he finished.
"We?" The boss man looked at Levy. His stare was intimidating, but she only nodded.
"I do my best to help where it's needed. They know I am just as much a part of the band as they are. I am essential to its survival. The success of that flier says so."
He looked it over once more, then looked up at the group in the other room still playing, nearing the end of their song. He nodded again. "Good find, John. I'm impressed," he said, then turned to Levy. "And with your art and apparent managing skill set as well."
She beamed, her eyes squinting. "Thank you."
The boss man handed the flier back to his employee. "Sign them on." He waved his hand in the air twice at the group in the other room as he opened the door and left.
Levy's hands shot up from her sides to clench into fists by her cheeks, showing her teeth as a huge smile erupted. She fought the squeal that threatened to break loose from her throat. John's lips slid up and into his face at her reaction and gave her a high five.
The band finished their song. Gajeel wiped his naked, sweaty brow with the back of his hand. It felt strange to play while not wearing his signature bandana. He stood up, putting the drumsticks back in the bag beside the stool. One look at Levy said everything. It was the happiest he had seen her in a while.
Laxus carried the guitar back to where he found it and leaned over towards Gajeel for a quick hand grip. His blond hair had the beginning of sweat glistening from underneath on his skin. "He like it?" He asked with a rush of breath.
"I think he did," Gray stated. He indicated to Levy, who was giving them all kinds of encouraging gestures, including two thumbs up.
"That good, huh," Gajeel smirked.
"Yes, that good!" Levy excitedly supplied, leaning towards the mic. She exited the room following John and the guys did the same, meeting the two of them in the hall on their way to the conference room, where they each received a bottle of water.
Again they were seated around the table. They were given the fat stack of paper that made up their contract with Riseforth. With the lawyer present, John explained most of it in detail while they followed along. They were given a moment to read through the bit above the signature lines before they signed their names.
"What about a manager? It says here one will be assigned to us," Gajeel said. He gestured to Levy on the other side of the table. "We already have one."
John didn't skip a beat. "One would be assigned had you not already had one. And a very good one, in my opinion. Enough to draw my attention."
His words seemed to fluster Levy. She smiled and thanked him, ducking her head down shyly. Gajeel's eyes shifted from Levy to the smooth-talker across from him. The way the man looked at Levy… it was all Gajeel could do not to shove the contract back at him after he lifted the pen tip from his name on the line.
After the rest of them signed their names, John took back the contract and gave it to the lawyer, who signed it where it was needed. John looked at them. "You'll be sent a copy of the contract after the paperwork has gone through and been finalized. After that, we can set up a time each week to start recording. Everything else will be decided after we've finished with the songs."
"Everything else?" Levy asked.
"You eventually want to go on tour, I'm assuming? To do that, we will need to supply you with a small set-up crew and a bus. But as I said, we'll get to that. It all depends on how well you do with the first album."
The guys laughed and high-fived each other. Their long awaited dreams were finally coming true. Although it would be awhile before they were able to tour around the nation, it was definitely something that could be waited for, however impatient they were for it. One step at a time.
They unofficially had music careers.
John eyeballed Levy. "If you were interested, I thought maybe you would want to work on the album art. You've got an eye for it. You can send in your sketches to the office here and we'll work on them when we get the photographer in for the photo shoots."
Some red crept in on her face to settle on her upper cheeks. "Oh, that would be fantastic, thank you. I've had a few designs in mind actually."
"Great!" John stood up and extended his hand, which she took for a handshake. "I'll look forward to it."
Gajeel frowned and made a slight face, silently mimicking the man's words. He straightened up when the man turned to the band members to shake their hands as well.
John glanced to all of them. "Welcome to Riseforth Records."