Parturient

"Feels like ain't had yer ta m'self like this for months" Gajeel all but purred into Levy's hair, content to snuggle in the afterglow of great sex.

Their clothes were spread throughout the house without a care, his suit pieces a trail from the door to the bed, her wedding dress thrown haphazardly over the couch, lingerie in tatters and tangled somewhere in the sheets.

"Sorry to say, husband, but it's not going to get any easier to sneak away with another baby coming."

That had him sat up instantly, attention fixed firmly on Levy's flushed and smiling face, finding no trace of a lie as he searched her eyes.

"Y'mean?"

"We did so well the first time around, why not do it again? Not that I meant for it to happen, but we've been spending - hmphf!"

Gajeel cut off her ramblings with a searing kiss, one that left her a little starry eyed when he finally pulled away again.

"Holy hell, Levs. Yer amazin', I love ya so much."

"Guess you're happy about it then" she giggled, her smile causing his heart to falter.

"Kitten, I'm so damn happy that I'd marry ya all over again right now."

"In that case" Levy purred, eyes darkening as she toyed with her piercings with her teeth, "how about you come down here and show me?"

"Y'know I can't ever say no to ya."

Gajeel set about showing her just how happy he was, tenderly at first, because knowing there was life growing inside his wife was a little disconcerting, but Levy's moans, her sighs and whimpers for more had him spurred on until she was all but sobbing from pleasure, his muscles quivering under the strain as he fought to stave off release, waiting to tumble into ecstasy with her.

"Fuck!"

There it was, the moment he'd been waiting for, Levy's back arched away from the mattress and her limbs trembling, her velvety heat clenched tight around him, and Gajeel threw his head back and nearly roared with the force of his climax.

As the waves of bliss dissipated, he rolled to the side, gathering his new wife against his body with arms that had the strength of jelly, pressing sweet kisses into her hair as, little by little, they caught their breath.

"Oh hell, kitten."

"What's wrong Gaj?"

"I jus' realised we're gonna have ta tell the old man."

"Your Dad adores Emme, he'll be ecstatic at more babies to spoil."

"I know, tha's th' problem!"


As it turned out, Metalicana was not the problem, Gajeel's father just smirking coyly at the news as if he'd already known. No, the trouble came from the previously well mannered and polite Emmeline, who morphed into a sullen toddler almost instantly when she understood what was happening.

"Emme, talk t'me kiddo." Gajeel had spent an hour and a half crouched in front of the sulking little girl who still refused to make speak, or even look at her mother. "Yer Mama an' me, we can't help if ya ain't tell us what's wrong monkey."

"Come on baby, what's the matter?" Levy tried to put an arm around her daughter, who not only shook it off but physically moved out of reach.

"I want... Play... Babies" she eventually got out, fat tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Em, are you sad because you can't play with the baby right now?" Levy had to stop herself from laughing, all that fuss and drama had been because their daughter was so excited to be a big sister that she didn't want to wait? The relief was enormous, and she took a second to school her features into something a little more neutral while Gajeel pulled the little girl into a tight hug.

"I know yer excited kid, me too. Babies take a while ta grow an' git big inside yer Mama, but ya can practice bein' a big sister already, by helpin' Mama an' talkin' t' the baby while it's in Mama's belly, help it be smart just like yer."

That seemed to do the trick, and Emme's bright smile was back as she sniffled a little, climbing out of Gajeel's arms and up onto Levy's lap, cuddling in tight against her mother with one little hand protectively resting on Levy's lap.

"Mama, how does the baby get out?"


The promise of new babies to love and spoil was, of course, truly joyous news and the reaction from the band was about what they'd expected - Gray was happy, but quietly so; Wendy burst into tears and hugged them both so tight Gajeel felt his ribs creaking; Natsu hollered; Chelia, who was now a permanent fixture of the crew, walked around smiling so widely Levy was shocked her jaw hadn't unhinged itself, and Cobra? Well, Erik was the surprise in all of it - the usually acerbic man laughing and crying as he congratulated the newlyweds, until he remembered himself and got right down to business.

"Well, I guess you'll be going on hiatus then?"

"Erik, come on." Levy stood there, arms crossed in a stance that clearly said 'dont fuck with me' as Gajeel snickered behind her, all to aware of what that tone meant. "You don't expect me to believe you're so uneducated that you think pregnant women can't work, do you?"

"Of course not, I -"

"Then shut up. I know the timing isn't exactly ideal, but growing a person and working are not mutually exclusive, it'll be fine."

'It'll be fine' turned out to be famous last words, because when had anything ever gone according to plan during their entire relationship.

"Well Levy, everything looks good!" Dr Green smiled, always happy to see her patients back for another one, and doubly happy to see Levy not only reunited with Emme's father, but married, and there was something special about watching a man experience the entire journey for the first time. "Two healthy heartbeats".

"Hang on doc, did yer jus' say two?"

"Twins? Oh lord, yep, there they are!" Levy had to laugh, because of course it was twins and of course Gajeel looked like he might faint.

"Not much changes from what you experienced last time Levy. You'll probably tire easier, experience more dramatic mood swings, and of course your bump is going to be bigger. I'll see you more often though, fortnightly instead of monthly for the time being." Dr Green flicked off the machine, handing the strip of pictures to Gajeel and a towel to Levy before turning the overhead lights back on. "Between your estimate, and the measurements, I'd say you're right around 9 or 10 weeks gestation. Any questions?"

"No, I think I remember everything from last time." Levy stood and grabbed her bag, doing her best not to laugh at the complete and utter shock still on Gajeel's face, his movements automatic as he took whatever was handed to him and followed his wife silently out of the room, through the reception area and into the car.

"You can say something Gaj."

"Two. There's two."

"Yes, that's usually what twins means. Are you sure you should be driving?"

"Huh? Oh, 'm fine. Jus' caught me by surprise is all, ain't no one ever had twins in my family." He took her hand, pressing a sweet kiss to the back of it as they began the short drive across town to pick their daughter up from her grandfather and share the news.

"Hey Levs?"

"Hmm?" They'd been driving in silence for a while, each caught up in their own thoughts, before Gajeel reached over to grab her hand, bringing it to rest on his thigh as he drove.

"I love ya, so goddamn much. This is... Are ya happy?"

"You make me happy, Gaj. You, our family, this life together - I couldn't ask for anything better." Levy spoke from the heart, her smile brilliant as she squeezed his leg through the denim he wore.

"I'm so fuckin' excited, Levs. Twins! Oh hell, Pops is gonna cry an' Em's gonna scream".

"You think that's bad, wait until we tell Lucy!"

"Can we jus' not? Fuck, tha's an idea Kitten - let's not tell any of 'em!" Gajeel's ruby eyes were glittering with excitement, and Levy almost wanted to laugh at the look on his face. Except, it was a tempting thought - she was already on the receiving end of everyone's particular brand of 'care' and had to shudder at the thought of how much worse it would get if they all knew the truth...

"We can't do that. I mean, what about Emme? You know how important it is for us to be honest with her. It would be fun to surprise everyone though, I agree."

"Yeah, ain't keen on th' idea o' not telling Ems. Am I meant t' read all o' this?" Gajeel gestured to the handful of papers and leaflets he was carrying as they walked up the steps and into Metalicana's house.

"One of us should" Levy joked, gliding passed him and into the kitchen where she took up a spot next to her daughter and opposite her father in law at the bench.

"How'd it go?"

"I'm screwed, old man. Need a bigger house" Gajeel joked, dropping the papers on the marble bench top and sliding the ultrasound print out over to his father.

"Why's there one marked 'A' an' somethin' else titled 'B'?"

"Because that one" Levy sighed as she pointed, "is currently known as fetus A, and that one there is surprise number two."

"Mama, you have two babies?" Emmeline's eyes were wider than the cookies on her plate as the understanding dawned on her.

"Well brat, you've outdone y'self on this one. Congratulations! Marvelous news, Emme! Two babies for us to play with, how wonderful!" The ageing process, and grand father-hood, had softened the last hard edges of Metalicana, the previously steely man far more prone to outbursts like these than he'd ever been before, his eyes frequently misty over the smallest of things.

"Never mind the last of space at home Gaj, I'm more worried about the lack of hands!" Levy joked, because she knew that babies were plenty of work, but pretty compact on space for at least the first few months.

"Move in here then." Metalicana phrased it like it was the most obvious thing in the world, which it actually was. There was only him and Chelia in this enormous house, so space wasn't an issue, and having the two of them right there was bound to make everything easier.

"I'm a grown ass man. A successful one, an' yer want me t' move back in with my Pops?"

"No son, I want your wife and my grand babies to move in. You just happen to be part of the package deal."

"Pops, we would love to! Thank you so much!" Levy laughed at her husband's pout, taking the few steps across the floor and squeezing her father in law in a tight hug, Emme happily jumping into Metalicana's arms to join in.


Surprise! A Hit or Miss update! I have been struggling something shocking with writer's block the last month, so this is just a short little thing to hopefully blow the cobwebs away.

Nic - I'm glad you thought so! They're definitely not the "white wedding in a church" kind of couple for sure.

Rao - the consensus seems to definitely be you all love the family, so I'm hoping you will when there's even more of them! As for better? Well, we can only hope!

Dragonfly - I'm glad you love Papa Metalicana, because I adore him and I have plans for him!

Hopefully there'll be more updates for everything else coming soon, now that I have ideas again, so keep an eye out, and of course let me know your thoughts on this one!

Stay safe, and much love

- A.V xxx