Disclaimer: I am not the owner of Fairy Tail

Loke didn't really stay in the celestial world for long before returning using his own power. Really, he felt a bit weird trying to rejoin the guild as much as he was. However, the war had taken its toll on Fairy Tail. When he arrived, he could see the wizards of the guild working together to repair the broken guild hall. Lucy looked startled to see him appearing by her side, blinking in surprise. "Loke? What made you decide to come out? It's not like I'm in danger or anything."

Usually, he would have replied with some kind of flirty comeback. That was what he was used to using with women in general. Most of them needed that kind of confidence boost, and while he was rarely taken seriously anymore, he figured it was just something to keep up. However, the more he thought about it, the more he had realized Lucy was simply someone he looked up to, more like family than an actual lover. She had an inner strength and fought with all she had for those she cared for. Those were qualities Loke himself wanted to have, and he admired her all the more for already possessing them. "Just figured I'd see how the repairs were going. After all, I played my own role in the war too, so I figured I should see what you've been up to."

She smiled at him. "Thanks for the offer, but we're actually almost finished." From what he could see, that was fairly accurate. The roof had already been repaired, and no longer had gaping holes from whatever magic or projectiles had destroyed it in the first place. One wall was still in the progress of being fixed, but if he remembered correctly, nearly that entire wall had been missing after some attack in the battle. "After all of this hard work, I'm definitely going to need a break. Luckily, Natsu and I got a pretty decent reward for helping deal with Avatar before the war…so I might actually be able to rest for a moment without worrying about my rent."

"So you won't be doing a lot of work for a little while?" She shook her head, and Loke frowned. He had told Nab they'd go on a job or something soon…but he really didn't know what Nab was expecting. Loke tried his best to emphasize that he really didn't think anything would come of it, beyond just being friends. However, the animal possession wizard had looked like Loke had just professed his own love to him as well. The guy had been smiling, and while Loke was certain he'd explained why it wasn't a good idea, Nab hadn't been dissuaded in the slightest. "I'm thinking that maybe I'll go and take a job myself then."

"Wait, are you serious?" Lucy blinked at him, surprised. "You haven't really taken jobs since your banishment ended. What changed?"

Glancing towards the guild hall, he saw Nab finally look up from his work on the wall. His eyes widened when he saw Loke, and he quickly looked away and returned to his work. "Nothing really. I just figured I should probably get back to keeping up my role in the guild. I am a member…it just feels weird not to participate."

Telling Lucy just felt weird, but he probably should. She was eyeing him closely, with a narrowed gaze. "Oh really?" She smirked, leaning forward with her arms crossed over her chest. "You wouldn't be trying to impress someone, would you? Or looking for a new date or something?" He frowned, while Lucy laughed. "Seriously, did you think I wouldn't notice how you didn't greet me with your traditional pick-up line? I'm not that oblivious, and I'm not stupid either. Who's the lucky girl?"

Keeping his voice low, Loke shook his head. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you." Lucy raised her eyebrows at this, and Loke sighed. "It's not that I'm actually interested in anyone…but I've recently realized that someone in the guild is interested in me. Really, it's just given me something to think about for a bit…and I'd rather not make things more difficult than they have to be by flaunting relationships that don't even exist in front of them."

"Well…are you planning on giving her a chance?" Lucy's question was honest, and Loke knew his key holder was only concerned about him. "I mean, I haven't heard you get serious enough about anyone to actually drop down to just dating one girl."

"It's not a her." That made Lucy pause, her eyes widening at him. "That's only part of why I'm really not certain. The other thing is…I really don't know a thing about him. Even if I was confident in me being interested in men…I wouldn't have a clue."

With her shock wearing off slightly, Lucy chuckled at him. "I never really saw you as the type of guy to even consider…well, another guy." He glanced at her, smiling at her.

"That makes two of us."

She nodded, still smiling. "If you want my opinion…I'd say just take your time and figure out what you want. Really, I'm happy to support your decision either way…but don't lie to yourself or this guy and say that things will work out, or not, just because of your gender. Love doesn't really get based on something like that…it is about forming a deep connection with someone and really getting to know who they are. So, start learning more about this guy and let him learn about you."

"That was my plan from the start." He smiled at her, shaking his head. "Actually…I was planning on going on a job with him while you were taking a break."

"It sounds like a great place to start." He nodded, turning around and getting ready to walk away. "So…are you at least going to tell me the name of this mystery guild member?"

Chuckling, Loke nodded. "Nab, if you'd believe it." She blinked at him, while Loke gave her a slight wave. "I'll see you around soon, Lucy. Thanks for the advice. I'll be sure to keep it in mind."

Still, as much as he understood what she was saying, it just felt weird for him to consider. As a celestial spirit, he had seen the world changing over time, becoming more accepting of different viewpoints and ideas. Yet, he'd always felt like little changed about him to match those shifts. Staring at Nab, Loke put his hands into his pockets, frowning. He had to be crazy for even considering something like this, given his past. What had he ever done that gave him the thought that this might actually turn into something else?

Scratching the back of his neck, he sighed and shook his head. There was always a first time for everything, he supposed. Moving closer, he put on a smile and stopped when he stood next to Nab. "Hey. It looks like you've been hard at work for a change."

Looking up, Nab smiled timidly and nodded. "Yeah…I mean, since I caused you guys all kinds of problems anyway…I figured I should at least try and help out." He glanced around, shrugging. "I'm probably one of the slowest workers here…but Erza seemed pleased that I was helping and not slacking off this time around…"

"Does that mean you've got time for a break soon?" Nab blinked over at him, frowning for a moment. "Lucy says she's taking some time off of jobs for a little while. I figured that means I'd have the chance to take a job of my own for a bit."

"Oh!" Nab rose to his feet, putting down his hammer and nodding. "That…yeah. I should be able to do that." He paused, frowning for a moment. "Though…I really don't know what kind of jobs I should look at. I'm still rather out of practice with my magic…and even when I was used to it, I still messed up a lot…"

"Wanna find one like I did last time?" Nab's eyes widened, and Loke shook his head, chuckling. "Or maybe not. Random selection worked out okay back then, but you probably want something with a bit less fighting this time around."

"Yeah…probably. I think I saw an interesting one about finding some magic artifact…" He frowned, thinking for a moment. "It was a ways away, but the description says there was a growing sense of magical energy from some ruins near this town. They wanted someone to locate the spell causing it…and retrieve it for them to sell. I think it was listed by some shop owner or something…and since treasure hunters won't go near the area, they decided to give it to wizards instead."

"Why won't treasure hunters go there? Is it dangerous or something?" Loke frowned, watching as Nab shrugged.

"I'm not really certain…" He trailed off, pausing for a moment. "I mean, I haven't exactly thought about it much, and I didn't really plan on taking that job in the first place. Though…it probably wouldn't involve a lot of fighting."

Still, it was a concern. Treasure hunters were usually trained to fight, even without magic. Likely that meant the area wasn't avoided due to actual monsters of some kind, but for another reason. Was there some curse on that region? Or some protective spell on the object? If the latter were true…given the fact that its magic could now be sensed, and the fact that the aura of that object was growing, it was likely a protective spell that had just begun weakening due to the passage of time. "Sounds good to me." He wasn't really going to try and worry Nab over the idea, though. Whatever it was, they'd figure something out on how to deal with it. In the worst case scenario, he could always try and call for more help in figuring out just what was going on in the area. Since the job itself only asked for them to retrieve on object, whatever problem there was shouldn't really affect them anyway.

Knowing what to say to August was completely different than knowing he had to talk to August. Zeref returned to his room, staring silently at the elderly man who seemed to have grown comfortable sitting at his desk. Zeref moved into the room, letting the door shut behind him. He sat down on the edge of his bed, frowning as he tried to consider what to say. What exactly did someone say in the first place in this kind of situation? August was his son, and Zeref knew he was older than the man…yet it was far too late to truly change much of anything. "I rather like her." August started for him, seeing his silence. Zeref frowned, glancing up at him. "Levy…she seems rather level headed and determined to achieve her goals. Rather than basing her opinions solely on what she reads, she thinks critically about what she has learned and forms her own ideas about what has truly occurred."

"Yes…I suppose she does." Really, to have moved on from his own history she had to have done some sort of odd reasoning like that. "She seemed rather intrigued with the archives here. I suspect she might be busy for quite some time now."

"When you mentioned allowing her to read, I suspected that might be the case. She seemed eager to take on far too many research challenges at once when I was working with her." August paused, smiling and shaking his head. "I haven't the faintest idea of how she balanced it all. I tried to limit her…but she insisted upon learning about enchantments side by side with your curse and your history—"

"My history?" He frowned at August, unaware of this development.

He nodded, meeting his gaze. "For more specifics on analyzing the curse. She thought that there might be some sort of clue in historical accounts, since there were few if any references to the curse in other works." Yet again, she found a clever way to work around the lack of information given to her. He smiled, wondering what task she'd set herself to next. Part of him wondered if she could unravel spells even he had failed to accomplish, like his brief idea of merging curse power and magic into one. As hard as he'd tried, the two sources of energy seemed to be too different to utilize in sync with one another. Yet, the potential it held would allow a wizard to continue battling long after exhausting their magical energy…which was why it had intrigued him at one point in time. "You…you do remain rather fond of her, don't you?" Zeref nodded, looking away. "I suspected as much when I saw her with you in that other world. Perhaps you did not speak with kindness directed towards her…but you differed to her authority. You let her take control, and placed far more trust in her than I've seen you place in a stranger in a long time."

"She…she seemed different." He closed his eyes, thinking back. He still didn't know exactly what she had said that first made him see that. "Unlike the others…she wished to work with me. It was not an action she had to take, given her capability of researching and understanding magic…I'm certain she could have found a method to return on her own. Yet, she insisted upon us working together. She…she was rational enough to offer some form of a truce, to wish for us to halt the war until it was necessary to focus on again, despite knowing it was not ideal if I returned with her. Never once did she speak of wishing for me to remain in Edolas…and I still do not understand what pushed her to feel that I was needed to return."

August glanced towards the door, nodding slightly. "As logical as she can be, she is still prone to letting her heart control her decisions much like anyone else will." Zeref didn't quite know what he meant by that, but he supposed it was another one of August's moments of inner thought. He let the elderly man pause for a moment, before he turned back towards Zeref. "Much like myself, I suppose, when it came to you. Perhaps I wished to know what the result would have been, had you known…but I was also afraid. I did not know whether to hope for you to love or hate me…whether it would be better or worse in either scenario for both of us. So, I decided to simply let things be as they were. I was content to serve you as I did…and you seemed rather at peace with the way things ran in Alvarez."

This was the conversation that he had meant to have originally when Levy left for the library to read. Zeref closed his eyes, looking away. "It was as peaceful as I could manage, all things considered." He sighed, shaking his head. "To put things simply…I had the same feelings regarding the matter, when I discovered the truth. Should I simply ignore the truth? Part of me almost said yes. However, the more I considered your actions, specifically when we first met…the more I realized how likely it was you already were aware of our relationship."

"I suppose my actions as a child would rather indicate such a thing." August frowned, studying Zeref closely. "That was before I had solidified my resolve to keep that knowledge to myself. Following you was the only method I had conceived of to be near my real family…and I had no intentions of returning to the one who had been raising me before."

"Precht?" Zeref questioned the name, recalling it from his brief moment of training with Mavis. Really, out of the few members of Fairy Tail he had known, he seemed to be the most likely candidate to manage delivering a child from a body that should not have been capable of sustaining such a life. Magic was likely necessary, and there would have had to be a strong motive to do so. August nodded, while Zeref smiled faintly. "I suspected as much. He had a natural talent with magic…but he also had a strong desire to grow stronger. While that desire may have stemmed originally from wishing to defend his friends…I suspected that if he pursued such a path, it would take him to darker places than he might have realized."

"From what I've heard, he actually became the guild master of Grimoire Heart for some time." That was surprising. Zeref blinked at him, recalling the guild name from the attack on Tenrou Island that had pushed him towards the war. The elderly man from then…had that actually been Precht? "As a child, all I knew of his desires was that he wished to locate you again. He seemed to think that between you and Mavis, there existed the key to the origins of all magic. For some time, he thought I may have held some clue as to that idea as well…though he altered his plans when he realized my magic was not like yours." He looked away, closing his eyes "Precht wished for me to bring you to him. He thought he could mold me into his own tool, and for that, I never wished to see him again."

Staring at him, Zeref felt his heart lurch. "But…did I not do the same?"

Shaking his head, August smiled slightly again. "In some ways, I suppose you did. However, you did not approach it as he did." There was a flash of anger at those words, already imagining what forcing someone to serve could entail. Maybe he had not been aware of his relationship to August before, but he knew now. He was not about to lose any more of his family, and he did not like the idea of others abusing them either. "When I first came to you, you warned me to keep my distance. You seemed intent on persuading me to abandon the effort, in fact. Unlike him, you never ordered me to leave nor did you request that I stay…you simply tolerated my presence. When you did begin to request things of me, it was not done out of a desire to abuse my skill for yourself, but more so out of the beginnings of trust forming between the two of us, and wishing to let go of your own responsibilities to some degree. I was happy to help…pleased to see that you trusted me enough to handle certain responsibilities within Alvarez, in fact. By the time you truly did begin placing me in the role of your advisor and general, giving more direct orders, I had already decided that it was the place that I best belonged."

"That still did not give me the right to—"

"Did I ever once object to your treatment of me?" August interrupted, surprising him. His generals never interrupted him when they spoke, but the dynamic between himself and August was shifting. He had felt it from the moment they began on this topic, feeling how much more personal the conversation was than their usual discussions on policies and governing Alvarez. "There is no need to regret your actions. Perhaps things would have been done differently had you known…but all things considered, I truly believe this was the best I could hope for. Had you known…either I would have lived knowing you did not love me as your son, or I would have lived never being able to be by your side. This ignorance allowed me to still be near you, and protect you as best I could given your own personal situation."

Maybe that was the case, but Zeref still couldn't help but feel as if something was wrong with raising a child to be a tool in some future war. "I did nothing but focus on pushing you towards magic and warfare. Perhaps if you had worked with me when you were older, that would be acceptable, but for me to imagine a mere child acting as such—"

"Yet I still did not object." August seemed rather intent on pushing that idea. "Did you not think I had worked hard before? Precht wished to use me as well, your maje—"

"I don't want you to keep calling me that." He repeated the sentiment he had before, interrupting before August could finish. It sounded too formal, like he was pushing August away when he wanted nothing of the sort.

The elderly man paused, nodding for a moment. "It is still a habit, I'm afraid. Given time, I suppose I could grow out of such a term…Father." He seemed to hesitate on the name, before continuing on when Zeref nodded. "As I was stating, Precht also forced me to focus entirely on magic as a child, even before you took me in. He did not accept anything less than focus on my work, and as such, your training was rather relaxed in comparison. You told me from the beginning to inform you when I was exhausted and in need of a break. You informed me that if I continued down this path, you intended on having me serve in your army as your very first general. There was nothing you did not warn me of when I began on this path, and while I may have been young when making such a decision, I cannot say it was made without proper forethought and consideration."

"You were always…mature, no matter your age." Zeref paused, smiling faintly. "It still surprised me at times, the questions you'd ask and the way you'd act. Even when you faced off against Irene for the first time in practice…your skill and swift ability to adapt was unlike that of any wizard I'd seen before."

"And I had only been eight at the time, if I remember correctly." Zeref nodded, smiling faintly at him. Maybe he did still have memories to look back on with August. Even if he had not known the truth at the time, he could see the same moments in a new light now. "Though, that spar still did not end in victory."

"You lasted far longer than any other wizard before you had against her." Zeref chuckled, shaking his head. "Even Irene was stunned. She demanded to know where I'd found you and how old you really were…she seemed rather convinced there was a false illusion about you concealing your true age and experience."

August chuckled himself, shaking his head. "That does sound like something she would do. Irene is rather fond of maintaining her superiority, after all. She does not realize that unless he lets herself work through her own troubles, her power will not extend beyond where she had gotten herself to now."

Nodding, Zeref smiled faintly, leaning back in his bed. This was…nice. It was different, and more honest than his old conversations with August had been. For once, he was not acting as his emperor, but as someone who simply wished to connect with August. Part of Zeref wondered if August could look back on their time together with fondness or not, though he supposed it didn't really matter. There were moments that Zeref could see now, where he should have been proud as a father rather than simply satisfied as his emperor. "Are…are you intending for our roles to change now?" August's voice was quiet, speaking after thinking for some time. "I still am rather firm in the belief that simple knowledge does not need to change the way we act…but you still seem rather conflicted with our roles thus far."

Opening his eyes, Zeref stared at the ceiling above him. Did he want things to change? August deserved better, he knew that much. Yet, August was happy to be here. "I'm not certain." He frowned, thinking further. "Do you feel as if they should? I cannot say I can easily break my own habits either. Just as you cannot let go of the use of my title…I am not certain it would be so easy for me to adapt to treating you as something other than my closest advisor and general. Already, this conversation feels…odd. It is not a bad feeling, just different."

"And I cannot help but agree." August leaned over on the desk, sighing. "I suppose in that sense we are alike. Both of us are rather resistant to change, are we not? You, from your immortality and me…from simply refusing to change by your side." Zeref smiled at that thought. Really, children were supposed to be similar to their parents, right? Maybe he didn't want August to take on the worst of his traits but that one…he supposed there were worse similarities for them to have. "Yet…you also seem to desire some sort of change. Already, you are requesting that I stop referring to you as my emperor, but rather as my father, which I have rarely allowed myself to do even in my own thoughts."

Really, he was. Zeref frowned, really not certain. It felt odd, trying to change something that seemed perfectly acceptable to both of them…yet Zeref also did not wish to treat his family as he did the generals that served him. How did he want to act around his family? Until now, he hadn't truly been able to consider it so broadly. Before, he had carefully controlled his thoughts, never wanting to endanger Natsu or anyone else near him as a result of his own attachment to others. Now, he could choose to care for them, if he wished. He could choose to let that be shown, or to hide it within himself and simply let things remain unchanged.

Glancing towards August, Zeref pursed his lips, trying to debate which case they should follow. It may be late in his life, but he still wished to at least have some portion of it in which August could truly have a parental relationship like he deserved. "Do…did you not wish to consider me as such?" He frowned, realizing his phrasing was likely off. "Or…I suppose I was curious to know your feelings on the matter. Your concerns from before seemed to revolve around the curse, which no longer should be an issue. If…if you still wish for it, I think I might rather like a slight shift between us…perhaps not in the sense of deviating from our roles in Alvarez, but more so…simply knowing each other as we should have all this time."

August was silent for a moment, taking a deep breath. There seemed to be a slight light in his eyes, something that made them glisten faintly as if he were about to cry. "I…I have longed to know what it would be like, for quite some time." Part of Zeref wondered how long he had been searching for that answer, but it was likely not a question he should ask. "If it is acceptable to you, I think I would rather enjoy such a shift. It would feel too strange to change our roles in the empire, but that much…that much would be a welcome change, I think."

Smiling, Zeref sat up and nodded. "In all consideration…even if we were to shift the roles in the inner workings of the empire, your actual tasks would not change that much." August blinked, while Zeref's smile widened. "After all, does this technically not make you the heir to the throne of Alvarez? You likely understand the inner workings of our government better than I do at this point…and as such, your role still ended up being rather suited to you, even if I did not present it to you as such."

"I suppose that would be an accurate assessment." He smiled, rising to his feet. "Then, given this shift…I must ask, what are your intentions with Levy? Usually, I would not ask such a personal question, so if it is too direct, I understand. However…you seem to be growing quite attached to her, for someone still placing himself in the role of a mere friend."

Nodding, Zeref frowned. "Ah, yes." It was odd, having August ask him personal questions. Yet, his son needed to know such details didn't he? They had missed too much time already, losing the chance to know one another as they should have long ago. So, he took a deep breath, thinking about it carefully. "I…I do not wish to make her uncomfortable. Many years ago, I made the mistake of speaking to Mavis too directly about such things…not only taking her life, but also discovering quite harshly that she never returned my feelings when I survived and she did not." August nodded, and Zeref wondered for a moment if Mavis should learn the truth as well. However, he had no way of contacting her, so he supposed the thought was rather pointless anyway. "As a result…I have decided that what happens from here will be for her to decide. She is a part of Fairy Tail, a guild which I have gravely threatened in the past. Not only that…but I suppose I have also directly threatened her life as well, a rather careless move on my part given my feelings towards her. Simply having her as a friend…it is more than I could hope for, after everything I've put her through."

"You do not think she could grow to love you in return?"

He should have expected August to be so direct. Usually, he failed to realize the reason behind subtleties in social settings, likely due to his upbringing pushing him into war and training as opposed to friendship and close bonds like a guild would have provided him with. "No…no, I do not think she could." He spoke quietly, not meeting his gaze. Zeref had known deep down how truthful that was, how little reason Levy had to even be his friend. This false imagination of his that there was a growing bond was the best he could have. Maybe, once she left, he would only have the ache in his chest as a reminder that she had once been by his side. Maybe that would come sooner than he wished, especially since he knew he could not keep her here for long.

His son seemed to frown, his brow furrowing. "She spoke rather fondly of you to me. Perhaps…perhaps she sees your flaws, but I do not think it would be entirely impossible."

"Yet my flaws include being willing to kill and threaten without a thought." He glanced at August, leaning forward and clasping his hands in his laps. "Levy…she may be willing to overlook some things, but she is also very kind-hearted. Her own morals…they would not allow her to overlook something that has altered within me over the course of four hundred years. Constantly being surrounded by death…that history is what has instilled within me the capability to ignore such morals. I do not think it is a trait I will outgrow, not after so much time of simply…attempting to cope by desensitizing myself to such a thing."

"Yet she has forgiven you for your threat, has she not?" He still wasn't so certain. She hadn't spoken to him much of it since recovering in Alvarez, and the only time she mentioned it was to shout at him in Edolas. Did she even remember her reaction then? Based on the fact that his impulsive kiss had not been mentioned either, he had assumed she'd forgotten in the delirium caused by her exhaustion. "And she has researched your history before. While she can be as critical as she likes in analyzing it, there is no denying that you've killed in the past, no matter which account is told. Given the fact that she is here, and that she still fought to free you…does it not speak to her being willing to at least overlook such a trait for now?"

"As an acquaintance, or a distant friend…perhaps." He shrugged, giving August a weak smile. "I am not going to illusion myself with false hopes, August. While I appreciate your attempts…I know that it is unlikely for me to find a companion at this point in my life, given my history and my own…age setting me apart from the majority of humanity. Living for centuries gives my own mannerisms and expressions a certain…appearance, it seems, that intimidates others without me attempting to do so. Those that do not even recognize me by name still find me to be an oddity in society, and often times, they reject me just as easily as those who know my history as well."

"Then in this instance, I suppose I will hope that you are incorrect in your assumption." Zeref smiled, feeling oddly content with August here. Things seemed to have relaxed between them, and somehow, just talking about Levy had made it seem more solidified in reality. She was staying here, yes, but it was only a temporary situation. Soon, she would be gone…and he'd be alone once more. "How long will she be staying with us? Given your request, I suspected she'd remain for at least the day…but I assume you would have invited her for longer, given what we both know about your usual fluctuating moods."

It was a very valid point. Usually, when Zeref first hit a low point like he had in learning of the truth behind his curse, it would fade rather quickly. Yet, from that point for quite some time in the future, his mood would constantly dive back down into that depression, fluctuating depending on how many distractions he could force in front of himself. August was quite excellent at keeping him occupied, he had found, be it with work in Alvarez or simple discussion about future threats. Now, Zeref could see exactly why he had trained himself to be so skilled at recognizing these moods, given his own personal reasons for wishing to keep him alive. That fluctuation, however…it could last for varying periods of time, depending on what had caused its initial lapse. With how severe that initial shock had been, Zeref wouldn't be surprised if it took him years to work past the news he had just received, though he could at least reach some stability a little sooner.

Having Levy here…as hurtful as it may be when she left, he knew it would stabilize him for now. "I'm not certain. She…she agreed to stay, though not to a specific timeframe." He paused, glancing towards August. "Speaking of which…do you still have a method of contacting Fairy Tail? She requested to be able to inform them that she would not be returning as soon as she had planned."

"Of course. I had assumed we would need to contact them once you had resolved yourself to end or resume the war in some form." He was always thinking ahead like that. Zeref smiled, nodding towards him. "I shall pass the lacrima on to her, then." Exhaustion was weighing heavily on him still, and despite this being his first personal discussion with August in years, Zeref found it difficult to continue it longer. "For now, would you like me to leave you to your rest? It has been quite a long day for you…and I would not wish to make you uncomfortable by forcing you to remain awake."

"That…I think that would be best." He could be alone while he slept, right? Glancing towards the door next to his closet, he smiled faintly. Levy would be in the room next to his own, should something happen to make him feel unstable again. There really was little to worry about here, with August and Levy both fighting against his own desire to stop the guilt that was eating away at him through death. "If Levy has any further questions, feel free to answer them. I do not wish for her to feel unwelcome here…and she may need further guidance around the castle to know where things are." He glanced towards August, smiling faintly. "Should she wish to retire for the night…I informed her she would be staying in the room I had constructed for Mavis long ago…"

August's eyes widened, looking mildly surprised. "Are you certain? I was of the impression that you intended for it to be left alone after Mavis' passing."

He nodded, closing his eyes. "It…it is for the best, all things considered. As I stated before, I am not quite trusting myself to remain stable at the moment…knowing she is there will at least calm myself to some degree of rational thinking, I believe." August nodded, while Zeref smiled. "Besides…if she were to decide to stay…I think I'd want her to be there. Mavis is long gone, and there is no further hope for that long-faded dream…but Levy would still be welcome, don't you agree?"

"Of course." August smiled at him, nodding towards him and rising to his feet. "Then go ahead and rest. I will ensure that Levy does not get lost in the castle, and that the others of the Twelve do not disturb her should they stop by. Shall I come meet you again in the morning?" Zeref nodded, and August turned away with a nod of his own. "Then I will see you then. Good night…Father." Again, there was the hesitation before that word. It felt strange to Zeref as well, but it still made him smile to himself as the door shut. Things were changing, but this time, he hoped it was for the better. As he had thought before, perhaps the suffering was worse for now, but he believed this path would potentially bring him to a point of peace sometime. Without the curse, there was far more hope for such a future than with it, and for that, he could at least see a glimmer of hope after his long time of searching for it in a sea of darkness and despair.

Well, this was originally two separate chapters...but it was a little short, so I decided to just merge them into one (especially with the new length this story will have). Now that we're a little ways into the story, I thought I'd ask how you thought I was doing at presenting Nab and Loke, as they were sorta the challenge that began this story idea in the first place (though it did veer off a bit and focus on far too many other things too). I don't write much with Loke as a focus, and I don't think anyone puts Nab in a prominent role either...so I was curious if you thought this was a believable progression for them so far or not. Really, I'm just looking for general feedback to use for future consideration on how things go...so if you have other comments, those are welcome too. Feel free to review and tell me what you think!