So...Happy New Year! 2012 marks the beginning of a new (fictional) life: the child of the best bookworm and the fiercest Dragonslayer in all of Fiore! I introduce to you my first kid-fic with my two favorite Fairy Tail characters, Levy and Gajeel! Hope you enjoy it. :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima does.

Prospects of Parenthood

Levy and Gajeel couldn't be more different. That was the unanimous agreement amongst the guild members of Fairy Tail, who observed the couple with mild interest as their relationship steadily progressed.

Levy was small and sweet. Gajeel was big and gruff. Levy was kind to the very marrow of her bones. Gajeel was hardly ever kind. Levy was quiet and bookish, avoiding violence when she could help it. Gajeel was loud and didn't give two cents about education, participating and often instigating the brawls that happened daily in the guild. Levy was bright and cheerful. Gajeel was dark and surly. Levy gave her love away to everyone, never hiding it out of cowardice or denying it out of spite. Gajeel had never told anyone that he loved them, and people doubted he ever would.

But unlike most, Levy and Gajeel didn't have to say they loved each other to know it was true.

The two were a potent mix, like hot and cold, and from afar you wouldn't think that they would ever get along. But somehow, instead of clashing like two weather fronts, they eased and complimented the other. Levy was the soft glow that illuminated a dark room, and Gajeel was the shadow that allowed the light to shine. They entwined together in their own kind of harmony, never adhering to another's beat, always falling into their own melodic cadence.

They never considered the fact that their feelings would eventually spark another life. The very idea seemed impossible. The word "parent" was alien and incompatible with their own identities, because even they had trouble believing that two creatures as different as they were would be capable of combining and producing a another human being.

Levy didn't know how to tell Gajeel after she found out. So for a while, she didn't tell him at all. She pondered his reaction to the news in the quiet way she had, wondered if she could do anything to soften the blow. Eventually she decided just to do it.

"Gajeel, I have something important to tell you," she began, her shoulders set and her fists clenched in determination. He had stopped by her apartment briefly to retrieve a few forgotten items that he might need for the mission he was preparing for. He turned from the small pile of his belongings, quirking a nonexistent eyebrow at her. Levy hesitated, considering waiting for him to get back, but she decided that he might want some time to think about it for himself before he confronted her about it.

But what if it distracts him and he gets hurt? she thought worriedly, biting her lip. Then she shook her head. No, he's a professional. He won't let something like that get to him. And besides, Pantherlily's got his back. Still, this is big news...

"Oi."

Levy blinked, snapping out of her reverie as Gajeel waved a hand in front of her face. She could tell from his posture that he was concerned about her inattention. "I'm sorry, what?"

"You were gonna tell me somethin' important," he reminded her.

"Oh." Levy gulped, and shook her head. "Never mind. I forgot what I was going to say."

Gajeel gave her a look. "You sure you're okay, shorty? You've been actin' weird lately."

"It's just this job I've been working on," she lied smoothly, feeling guilty about it immediately after. It seemed like she'd been lying a lot more ever since she came back from the hospital.

Gajeel snorted. "Sorry, that ain't anything I can help you with."

"Yeah," Levy sighed, looking at her feet.

"Don't look all sad about it," Gajeel chastised, tousling her hair. "I'm sure you'll figure it out eventually. You always do, hell if I know how."

Levy felt the heat of tears prick her eyes. She wasn't sure if it was the hormones (did they manifest this early?) or if it was just the overwhelming guilt she felt lying to him and keeping such vital information hidden away. She felt the world pressing in on her, suffocating her, squeezing the truth right out of her throat.

"Lily! You ready to go?" Gajeel called out, zipping his pack and throwing it over his shoulder. Pantherlily padded in, his own small pack in hand.

Levy couldn't take it.

"Gajeel, I'm pregnant!" she cried in the momentary silence, her words loud and echoing. Gajeel froze and blinked at her, looking stricken. Pantherlily blanched in mortification and silently backed out of the room, giving the two of them their privacy.

The Iron Dragonslayer wasn't quite absorbing the information. "Huh?" he uttered stupidly, still gaping at the blunette.

"I'm pregnant," Levy repeated, this time with more resolve. "I'm going to have a baby. Your baby." The words felt strange on her tongue, but she knew them to be true nonetheless.

Gajeel's eyes shifted down to her stomach, as if he expected it to start bulging right then and there. When it didn't, he looked back up at her face and asked, "You sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure. I went to the doctor and everything," Levy said dryly. She sighed. "I'm sorry I waited until now to tell you, I just...I didn't know how. I've known for a few days. You're not mad at me, are you?"

"Nah, not really," Gajeel assured with a shrug.

"...Well," Levy tentatively began, "what do you think?"

Again, Gajeel puffed out his cheeks and shrugged. "I don't really care for kids too much, but I guess this kid is ours, so..." He reached out and laid his hand on her belly. It was big enough to stretch across the entire span of her stomach, from palm to fingertip. "...I guess he'll be pretty awesome."

Levy smirked, covering his hand with her own two small ones. "What makes you think it'll be a boy? It could be a little girl."

"Yeah, right," Gajeel scoffed, as if he were too masculine to produce offspring of the female variety. Levy rolled her eyes, but secretly she was relieved that he was handling this so well. When she was informed, she wandered around for days stressing about how she was going to take care of a baby; a real human baby that needed food and clothes and comfort and attention and love. Until she realized that she approximately nine months to figure it out. And that she wouldn't be alone in raising it. Not only would she have Gajeel, but she'd have all of Fairy Tail to help her.

Pantherlily hesitantly walked in and cleared his throat. "Sorry to interrupt, but if we don't leave we're going to miss our train, Gajeel."

"Right," Gajeel nodded. He turned back to Levy, patting her on the head. "Don't worry, shorty, I'll be back in a few days. Don't tell anyone til I get back. I don't wanna deal with all that gushy guild crap yet."

"We'll have to tell them sometime soon," Levy warned. She knew that Lucy would never forgive her if she wasn't one of the first to know. But she agreed that, just for a little while, this was a secret that they could keep between the two of them (well, three if you counted Pantherlily).

Gajeel waved a dismissive hand and followed Pantherlily out the door, giving Levy a final good bye before departing down the hall. She stood there silently, pressing her hands to the soft plain of her stomach, still warm from Gajeel's touch.

In just a few months, it wouldn't be her and Gajeel anymore. Bound together by this child, by this life, they would cease being a couple and officially be a family.

The thought made her smile.