Disclaimer: I am not the owner of Fairy Tail

Tenrou Island had not changed much over the years. The same could've been said for Zeref as well. Makarov found him with ease, tracking down his magical aura like usual. This time, he was resting near Mavis' grave. Makarov frowned at that, finding it odd to see the man standing in the rock clearing built to house the stone marker. He was not surrounded by decay either, reminding Makarov that Zeref was forgetting the value of life without him here.

"Welcome back. I wondered if you'd remember to return or not."

"I promised I would." Makarov watched as Zeref turned around, raising his eyebrows at Makarov. "Despite how things may seem, friends don't typically abandon each other." Even though he'd just abandoned Rob himself. Even though Zeref was partially responsible for what had happened, in a way.

Grimacing, Makarov turned his head. That cult had nothing to do with Zeref directly. They were following the history everyone knew. It was beyond Zeref's control, yet Makarov was still upset. He had not taken time to himself, to get over this loss yet. "You do not sound so confident in those words. Odd. I am used to you being so…optimistic about such things."

"A friend of mine was recently captured on a job." He looked over at Zeref, letting out a sigh. "We were not able to rescue him."

"And you came here instead of chasing after him?"

"I can't." He closed his hands into fists, glaring up at the sky. "Everyone thinks I can just go after him, send all the might of Fairy Tail after him, but no one grasps exactly what that risks. Guilds cannot declare war on other guilds. Guilds cannot work on tasks that involve threats at a national level. Guilds are not meant to make a major impact on anything."

"A national level threat? What sort of job were you even working on?"

"I wasn't working on it myself." Makarov sighed, lowering his gaze. "A cult has formed that worships you, in some form."

"They are far more common than you might think." Zeref shrugged, sitting down calmly. "In the end, they eventually disperse due to inner conflict or discovery by the magic council. Nothing needs to be done to stop them, as a result. Going after such groups is a foolish plan after all."

Makarov glared at him, though Zeref wasn't looking towards Makarov to see the expression. "They found your old school." That made Zeref turn towards him, frowning. "And they managed to retrieve your notes on the R-System. From what I gather, they left afterwords, meaning it was their goal to find this spell of yours."

"Again, it would be a waste to do anything now. While I am sorry for your friend, the R-System itself is not a viable spell for use. It requires—"

"Too much energy to activate." Makarov sighed, shaking his head. "My intention is not to debate this spell with you. I want to know what they've done with my friend and what I can do to try and get him back without breaking laws."

There was a pause, while Zeref tilted his head, studying Makarov. "You do remember who you are speaking with, correct?" Makarov nodded, meeting his dark gaze. "And simply speaking with me…and not revealing my location to the magic council or some other authority…how is that legal? I know that your guild allowed me to return to this island, Makarov. August told me of how the ward was meant to work."

August? Blinking, Makarov realized that Zeref must have named the boy who left with him. "I let you return." Zeref frowned at him, while Makarov sighed. "Precht left the guild, the moment I returned to Magnolia that day. It's been chaotic, to say the least. However, I've been managing."

"You're…Fairy Tail's guild master?" Makarov nodded, while Zeref leaned forward. "So that is why you are bound so tightly by such technicalities. I had thought you were one to ignore such regulations before…but now you are seeing that it is not so easy to do, when you are the focus of their attention."

Snorting, Makarov shook his head. "More than just that. Fairy Tail's wizards seem to be failing to understand how to respect public property as well. We've been getting overloaded with repair bills all the time. It's been forcing me to get creative, with keeping us out of debt and away from the Council's anger."

"Yet you still remain." Zeref looked away, frowning for a moment. "From what I recall…I cannot say there is a loophole to exploit that would be of use to you. I could attempt to seek them out myself…but my way of dealing with them will not be what you want." Zeref shook his head. "No, my methods would likely destroy your friend as well."

"My refusal to act has lost me another friend too." Makarov closed his eyes, leaning back on the ground. He needed this break, this time away from the guild. "My former team, they've fallen apart now. One refuses to work completely, one left to join the rune knights, another is being held as a captive of dark wizards, and another just left because I'm not the guild master they want. I'm nothing like Precht, and I have no understanding on how to lead anyone, despite being in this position for years now…I'm still lost. I'm lost, and just like before when I get lost, I find myself getting drawn towards you for answers."

"These days, I cannot say I object to the company." Zeref smiled faintly, before the expression turned into a grimace. Sensing it coming, Makarov glanced up, observing to see if he needed to move away. Yet, the outburst was short, and Makarov had given him enough distance for now. "Though this…this I am still growing tired of."

"Is there any way to eliminate the curse completely?"

Zeref shook his head, sighing. "Not that I've found…and I've been suffering for four centuries now." He'd been cursed that long ago? Makarov stared at him, suddenly realizing why it was so much of a struggle to not be used to the constant death surrounding him. "Though…Natsu should manage to end this, when he's finally here. He is my plan to end my suffering…and I am still…still able to wait for a bit longer to see him again."

Makarov stared at him, questions still swimming in his mind. "How? Zeref, how do you plan on Natsu ending this?"

There was a pause, and Makarov saw a bird fly overhead, past them. "Natsu is the most powerful demon I've ever created." Makarov fought back a shudder at that, not wanting to show Zeref how worried he was about the things this man had once done. "He is the demon that should be capable of surpassing the immortality this curse has forced upon me. Natsu…Natsu will be strong enough to end my life, and finally let me rest peacefully for a change."

The destruction those demons caused…Makarov was starting to see it a bit more clearly. Zeref was immortal, that much he'd understood, but he hadn't thought of what it must've put him through. "That was your goal with all of your demons, wasn't it?" Zeref nodded, frowning faintly.

"I suppose. Mostly, they were perfecting the art of creating life…before I moved on to Natsu. I needed to know how to create powerful beings…to ensure he'd be strong enough to…" Zeref trailed off, closing his eyes. "Or perhaps I made a mistake with him as well. Regardless, it has been done, and the plan is in motion. It has too many risks to stop now."

"So, you'll leave me too, as soon as Natsu is here." Makarov didn't know what else to say. Zeref was quiet, and Makarov felt himself laughing. He didn't know why; nothing was amusing about losing all of his friends in the slightest. Yet, he needed to do something, and he'd been forcing himself not to cry. Laughing was one of the few options of expression left. "Of course. Even the immortal black wizard will find a way to vanish too, to leave me alone, and just as lost as I've been over the last few years."

"Am I really that important to you?" Makarov didn't answer. He didn't know what Zeref was to him. Oddly, the memories August gave him had floated around in his head on occasion. He'd have dreams of kissing Zeref, all because he had seen that one flash of Mavis' memory. The mixing of what he knew with what he'd been shown made it hard to tell which feelings were his, and which had belonged to Mavis. "Few…few people are glad to have known me. If you are one such person…I think I'd like to know."

Was he glad that he was friends with Zeref? The man was known for so many crimes, and responsible for so many deaths. If he'd never existed, all of the dark guilds and cults that followed him never would have came about. Rob would still be around, and Goldmine wouldn't have had a reason to leave. Yet, Makarov would still be lost. He still would not have had a friend to talk to on this island, one who helped him grieve for his father and understand that he wasn't strong or weak because of his age.

The silence that filled the air seemed to be prolonging, and Makarov eventually closed his eyes. "I am. For what it is worth, you have become a good friend of mine, Zeref. I know I'm probably going to be getting dragged away for this one day, for giving you this place to rest away from society, but I am happy to be able to help you when I can."

"A good friend…" Zeref seemed to frown at that. Makarov could see the land decaying around him the more he thought, responding to his thoughts quickly. "Yes…I suppose you are, aren't you? The only friend I've managed to keep…since this curse came to me." Makarov didn't know what to say about that. His own cautious nature was likely the reason he'd survived, and it was still keeping him alive now. "I am glad, I think. To have such a thing."

"You think?" Makarov sat up, staring at Zeref. "How can you not be certain of that?"

Shrugging, Zeref met his eyes calmly. "I'm not typically happy or pleased with anything." His gaze flickered around him, his hand brushing against the dead grass around him. "Though…I suppose it is an odd sort of relief to see this once more. Like always…you manage to bring it back. To remind me…that someone out there has a life that is of value to me."

"And your life, Zeref, has value to me as well." Zeref did no reply, looking away. "I've been losing everything thus far; the transition to guild master stops me from going on jobs, from working with my team, from being a true friend to my guild. That separation, I'm gradually breaking it down, but I cannot help but feel separate from them all now. Above them, in a way I never wanted to be." Makarov didn't know if he was getting through to him, making him understand at all. "You aren't a part of Fairy Tail. With the two of us, it doesn't matter if I am the guild master or not. We'll still be friends, but if you are just trying to throw your life away, you'll leave me just like the rest of them."

"Would you prefer for me to suffer, Makarov?" Zeref turned towards him, his dark eyes locking on his own. "For the world to suffer as well?" His hands gestured around him, making Makarov lower his gaze. "I wish things could be different. That I would not cause you such a loss for valuing my presence as well. However…I cannot risk letting myself continue on. If I become the man I once was…if I forget again…I will destroy everything you care about…including myself."

"Do…were you already planning something before I came?"

After a moment, Zeref nodded slowly. "August…should not have trusted me with the knowledge of what Precht created." Zeref knew about Mavis, then. Underneath Fairy Tail, they had an endless amount of magical energy to use. With it, in theory they could even activate the R-System. "It allows for plans that I should not even consider, Makarov. Plans that would place us as enemies…that would ensure you will never see me as a friend again."

It made sense, if he needed that power to do so. Makarov had taken to calling it Fairy Heart in his mind, since it existed within the heart of the guild, inside of the body of the person who created it in the first place as well. If Zeref wanted Fairy Heart, however, he'd need to take it from them. "Am I correct to assume I would not be so willing to let you use it without a fight for this plan of yours?"

"My plans would likely ensure that Fairy Tail ceases to exist." Zeref sighed, shaking his head. "Though…that is only a plan I consider when you are not nearby…reminding me of why it is not the outcome I prefer. I do not want to be that person, Makarov. I…I don't want to be the monster history makes me out to be…yet I still know I am."

"I will help you stay away from that path. I already promised to do that, Zeref."

"For as long as our friendship remains…for I will not hold you to it if you cannot reach past the dark thoughts that may grow to consume my mind." Zeref smiled faintly at him, something softening in his gaze. "Do…do you need to be returning soon? Usually, you come to discuss your latest problem, and then are forced to leave."

"I've left the guild in good hands for now, with the intention of finding a place to cope with what I've just lost." Makarov stared at him, seeing Zeref nod for a moment. "I had planned on using Tenrou Island for that purpose. It isn't as if anyone else will be coming here, not right now. And…I don't mind, seeming weak in front of you. It isn't as if it would make a difference if you truly wanted to harm me either way."

"You'll be staying then?" Makarov nodded, and Zeref's smile widened. "Then perhaps it is my turn to show you something on this island. You brought me to the library…and you spoke of enjoying fishing and swimming at the time, if I recall correctly."

"I asked if you bothered with either of those. I didn't say a thing about what I did myself." Yet, Makarov was still smiling, getting up to follow after him.

"True, but at that age, what comes to mind as entertainment for others is typically what entertains yourself." Makarov couldn't deny that either. "While the ocean is a bit of a dangerous place for such activities, there is a river that travels inland, eventually feeding into a small pond on the island. When…when I'm not near, the area is rather lively and quite a beautiful sight."

He knew coming to this island was a good idea after all. With a smile, Makarov began following Zeref deeper into the island, not caring that he was following after a trail of death. As disturbing as it was, he knew Zeref had no control over this curse, and Makarov wouldn't demand that he change it. When he returned, he'd try and find his own information on this curse and see if he could find something Zeref had missed. After all, Zeref had been the one to claim that age would not dictate who had gained more wisdom. Somehow, he'd help free his friend from this suffering without killing him. Until then, he'd let Zeref find comfort in the knowledge that Natsu would arrive soon enough, while Makarov did everything in his power to stop him from meeting the fate he sought.

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