Summary: Many experiences can be described as a 'fall', a fall of a reign, an immortal falling in love with another, falling into depravity, falling out with friends, and a fall of morale but people still had a way to bounce back no matter what

N.B.: of zervis and nalu.

N.B. 2; I do not know who that blonde is, what do you mean you know who she is I won't confess my precious headcanon HA.


In four hundred plus years Zeref had witnessed many kinds of events becoming a part of history. He had lived for so long he was included in those history books. Mostly were occurrences that left a bitter taste to everyone who read about them. History books told of tragedies, kingdoms collapsing to other rulers, to maniacs and sometimes the people who actually cared about their country and strived to rebuild it but accounts would detail the cruelty rather than the brighter future. And perhaps the writers were warning the ones to come that a future built of blood was not as colourful as it was imagined by the revolutionaries. Nobody wanted to read about the peace that came, and as hypocritical as these historians might seem, they let their pen describe their anguish. Everybody falls into despair when war comes to play. And everyone has lost someone to the bloodshed. However who would want to read about a lost love. It's not so exciting.

'Humans forget a life's worth so easily,' Zeref thought to himself sipping the warm alcoholic drink that was prepared for him.

'Isn't it the same for you?' a voice, serene, and melodic chided him.

"I could never forget that," he coughed into his drink pinching the bridge of his nose, and closing his eyes shut, he didn't want to look at her. He didn't know whose face it would be this time. There were a few people he could think of, his mother, that woman who called herself his friend….and Mavis. Any of them would hinder his determination.

'Liar, you took everything from us and left, you tried to forget us,' she giggled as if it was something that amused him. He'd recognize the voice. He knew which one she was now. The only friend he'd ever made.

"God cursed me," he replied breathing in and licking his lips, "Anksheram took you all from me; I just took back what was mine,"

'Those children don't need us anymore, they won't crumble, not even to that god,' she shook her head, blonde curls sliding around her shoulders. She was as beautiful as the black mage could remember her, the woman sought over by many but was too focused on her precious star, 'the life they built is proof that you got back at God, leave them be,'

"I'm still alive, but they're not," he squeezed the glass and it cracked under the pressure.

'You mean she's not?' her hand stroke his, the woman smiled and lay it on his trembling limb, 'She's not gone yet, you can go back,'

"Love can't save me," he moved forward so the crouching figure was face to face with him, "there is more darkness than love in magic,"

'How would you know? You didn't try,' she whispered, 'Magic born from love can work miracles, and it's not without it's…difficulties,'

"It didn't save you," he spat, the disgust was more directed at himself. Even though he was so close to his goals, sometimes his old self, the man who loved living more than anything, would chain him down.

'You don't know that, in fact you're the man who knows the least about all around him,' she smiled and suddenly she felt less than a ghost and more than his conscience awakening. After all he was no longer human, how could he spare a second thought to the feeble lives he was about to extinguish?

"I saw you die," he let the class fall, it shattered by his legs, shards and liquid hitting her dress but passing right through her. Why was she haunting him? She was dead, that was undeniable, right?

'This isn't about me, it's about Natsu, and the future generations' she warned, shaking her head even more, 'Please, as your friend I'm telling, please open your eyes,'

"Funny," he chuckled letting himself slide into the cushions once more, "It's the last words you told me that time,"

Sighing she stood up and bit her lower lip. He knew it was a habit, when she had to say something difficult or cruel, she'd look away bite her lips and give the people who needed to hear it a piece of her mind.

'He's not your brother anymore,'

He rose up quickly grabbing at her. He only found air. Her voice came from behind him once again. He gasped rubbing at his eyes as he turned to face her.

'Not if you do this to him, everything will be ruined like this,' she continued fervently, her eyes were begging him, the look she gave him was still of the person who had offered friendship. He wondered why she still let him be one after all these years.

"Why can't you let me be," he sobbed hiding his head in his knees.

'I still consider you my friend, silly,' she sang.

XXX

"Lucy, if you could bring someone back from the dead would you?" Natsu's voice was solemn as he threw his cards down on the floor. He had been reduced to the level of the exhibitionist pervert in his boxers after a round of strip poker.

'Goddamn I'm thinking like Gray,' he huffed.

The fire mage wouldn't admit he felt too lazy to actually dress up again. Lucy was still in her pajamas, after winning all 4 rounds they had played, she was lying behind him on her bed comfortably snug as she read a few papers.
They looked at each other, silent at first and then she pursed her lips, "No thanks,"

"I mean, wouldn't you like to say goodbye to your dad properly, or check in with your mother," he shrugged and the celestial mage nodded to herself as she shifted to a sitting position and slid down by her partner. Happy was fast asleep on her bed so Natsu could talk.

"I just, Igneel didn't tell me everything, and I've been feeling like I need to know or else I'll let something important fall out of my grasp again," he explained rubbing a hand on the back of his head.

"We're going to lose so much," she took a deep breath and let their shoulders bump.

"Lucy I won't let that-,"he turned to her desperately clinging to her shoulders.
"I know, you'll do everything you can and that's good enough Natsu," she unhooked herself from him and giggled. It was the dry, fearful kind.

"No one gets enough time to say goodbye, or the things they need to say when a loved one dies," she explained, "I've come to terms with their deaths in my way and you did that too, you went to train off for a year to be in top notch form, but no one can ever be fully prepared,"

Natsu blinked and nodded, the hands on his shoulders were trembling. She was just as afraid to lose any of them just as he was.

"You're really brave and strong, you know?" he grinned feeling a whole lot better.

"I've learned from you, doof," she puffed out her cheeks jumping back on her bed. They both felt just a tad gutsier.

"And I will kick your ass for reading the letters for my mother another time," she slapped the back of his head playfully as he offered his apologies.