*A/N- cry baby Zeref is my favorite Zeref headcanon.
X x x
Natsu walked into the guild hall to what was now a very familiar and unalarming sight. Zeref was crying. Again. At first people were vaguely alarmed by this, but soon grew used to it. Natsu learned to read what type of crying Zeref was doing based on Mavis's expression. When she looked kind and comforting he was crying for some valid reason, like mourning is past sins or realizing the entire world hated him for the fifth time that week. If Mavis looked slightly amused he was crying because he was happy and overwhelmed. Today she looked exasperated and patted his head noncommittally, which meant he was crying for some ridiculous reason, and Mavis was just humoring him because he "has a lot of feelings."
While he was standing in the doorway trying to decide what to do Mavis looked up, made eye contact with him, and mouthed 'help me.' He took a bracing breath, and walked in their way.
"There, there," Mavis said. "It's alright. It's alright."
"But they're so innocent!" Zeref whined.
"Hey, bro, what's going on?" Natsu asked, sitting down gingerly. He had yet to become as skilled as Mavis at comforting him. Zeref sniffed and looked at him, and Natsu did his best to look comforting. Once when he'd grinned at Zeref while he'd been crying and Zeref started crying harder and Natsu had decided to err on the side of caution from then on.
"Did you know thousands of puppies every year are abused by their owner?" Zeref asked, looking equal parts devastated and outraged. "They're puppies Natsu, they haven't done anything wrong! They're so pure! They're so full of love!" Natsu gave Mavis a disbelieving look, and she just shrugged exasperatedly.
"He's been doing this ever since some animal rights activist handed him a leaflet. He started crying at the picture of the abused puppy on the front."
"I think Zeref is right!" Chimed in Happy. "Abusing animals is a horrible crime!"
"How exactly did you manage to become the most evil sorcerer in history?"