Requested by @levycchi and @kmmcm
Gajeel was the first one to notice that Levy was pregnant.
It didn't outright reveal itself with fanfare or awful morning sickness, but with tiny little changes that he'd notice from day to day. First it had been her smell, growing sweeter from the familiar floral and dust he was used to. It intrigued him everytime he'd wake up next to her, snuggling closer to bury his nose in her hair. Bathing often made no difference, only intensified the smell.
There were other things he noticed as well, seemingly subtle enough for her not to catch but had been blatantly obvious to the dragon slayer. Her tastes in his food were changing, and she'd frequently asked for spicier foods. However, it seemed to backfire on her, giving her horrible heartburn that often left her in tears. When he offered a more palatable choice, she shocked him by flat out refusing it, leaving him pondering as to why his rarely picky wife was suddenly worse than Asuka whenever they babysat her.
Then there was the random mood swings she went through, making him nervous on days she'd wake up in tears. He never knew what he did or said to piss her off, even when she claimed that he hadn't. Nevertheless, he'd find her sobbing over the simplest of things, and merely kept his distance till her tears went away. On the upside, making love to her was far more intense than before. She took more dominant roles than she had used to, but finished before he had a chance to get into it, complaining of her tender breasts whenever he fondled them. Then, she'd snuggle next to him, already asleep before he had a chance to even tease her.
One day, Pantherlily had offered her some chocolate when she was restless, and she broke out sobbing when she took it, startling them both.
"Er, Levy? Everything ok?" The Exceed asked, nervously glancing at a frozen Gajeel. She couldn't answer for a moment, only wrapped her arms around Lily and murmured her thanks as Lily awkwardly patted her back. Gajeel could only watch as she wandered away, calming down as she nibbled on her treat. Lily leaned close, worry on his face as he glanced at the little mage then back at him again.
"What on earth is going on with her?" He whispered, and Gajeel could only shake his head, at a loss for words. It was rare when her mood could be cured by a simple piece of chocolate and a hug anymore. Frazzled and frustrated, he finally made his way to Porlyusica's to figure out what the hell was going on, towing a rather grumpy Levy behind him.
"I'm not sick, dummy," she growled at him as they reached the doctor's doorstep. He paused before raising his fist to knock, giving her a long look over till she stamped her foot. "I'm really not, Gajeel!" Tears were prickling at the corners of her eyes, and he could feel the panic start to rise. He reached out and grabbed her arm, tugging her close enough to hug her. He had surprised both of them, but he recovered first, holding her closer and nuzzling her hair.
"I ain't said you were sick, Lev," he muttered, rubbing her stiff shoulders. "I just wanna make sure you're ok. Think you can handle this for me?"
She nodded after a moment, relaxing into him as he kissed her crown. He grasped her hands then, leading her inside the older woman's home.
Porlyusica wasn't particularly pleased to see them, but heard the dragon slayer out as he began to explain what he noticed. Setting tea out wasn't exactly her thing, but placed a cup out anyways in front of a blushing Levy, who sat silent through his entire story. "Was I really that bad?" She asked, her voice soft and uncertain. Before Gajeel could reassure her, Porlyusica cleared her throat, catching her attention.
"If what he says is true, then the next question would have to be when your last cycle was," she mused, squinting her eyes at the script mage. Levy's brow furrowed in confusion, then lifted as realization dawned on her. Gajeel, on the other hand, was a bit slower to understand.
"Cycle? The fuck is tha-"
He froze as the words left Levy's mouth, his own eyes widening in comprehension as he looked at her. Baby? As in, she's pregnant? He thought, the pieces finally clicking into place. It made perfect sense, he mused, nodding slightly as he recalled all that they went through.
He jumped up and whooped, startling both of the women as he scooped up Levy and hugged her close, whirling her around the tiny room that the old hag called a "waiting room" or whatever bullshit. He laughed as Porlyusica lunged forward to rescue the teacup, snapping at him that this wasn't a playground and to knock it off before she kicked him out. He gently set his wife on the sofa, kissing her cheek as tears flowed down both their faces. She clung to him as she turned to face the old woman, half giggling, half sobbing.
"Could it be?" She asked, breathless with hope. Gajeel squeezed her shoulder, giving the doctor the same hopeful look. This was something he'd only dared to dream of, something he nearly lost, something he'd firmly grasp in both hands and refuse to let go of. He couldn't believe it, they were going to have a baby!
"It's still too early to tell just by observation," Porlyusica warned, but the glint in her eye was more optimistic than cautionary. "Dragon senses are too good for their own good, so we'll take a couple of tests to be sure."
Whatever Gajeel was going to say to the subtle jab was interrupted by Levy, who giggled as she wildly nodded her head, squeezing his hand fiercely. They were going to be parents! She could only begin to imagine what having a baby was like, but one thing was for sure; as long as they were together they could handle anything!
