Disclaimer: I am not the owner of Fairy Tail

Only a month had passed since Zeref lost his magic. Natsu was gone on his training mission, and right now, Zeref wasn't quite certain what to do with himself. True, the guild was still keeping him busy, but Mavis was taking over some of the work involved as well. Between the two of them, there was actually quite a bit of free time. Without magic, Zeref had even been forced to write an actual letter to get into contact with his empire, and he still had yet to hear from them. He had requested August personally, for the fact that there was much to discuss with the wizard. Zeref didn't even know where to begin that conversation, though.

At the moment, Zeref and Mavis were walking through Oshibana, purchasing supplies for the guild. Another brawl had broken out, breaking far too many of the bar's dishes for comfort. "I really like the style of the ones we got, Zeref." Mavis was smiling, holding the boxes of plates and cups to be brought back. Really, she had been the one making most of the decisions. Zeref had just followed because he was the one with the ability to pay for them, due to the fact that Mavis had not gone on a job in nearly a century. "There are fairies on the plates! Did you see that? Though…they didn't have tails like Fairy Tail's guild mark…" She trailed off, frowning in thought. "Do you think that shop had actually seen a fairy? Is that why they knew not to put tails on the design?"

Smiling, Zeref chuckled at her musings. "You know perfectly well that the shop his highly unlikely responsible for the making of what it sells."

Mavis shrugged, still staring proudly at her purchases. "So? They should verify the accuracy of their products. That means they must confirm if fairies have tails! Next time we go to that shop, I'm going to ask them about it." It was rather pointless to argue with Mavis when it came to fairies. As a result, Zeref simply nodded and gently patted her shoulder. Mavis smiled up at him in response, looking pleased with her conclusion.

As they approached the guild, Mavis glanced around the path with a slight frown. "You know, maybe the guild could get to work on fixing up this pathway too! Oshibana's repairs are almost finished, and with how well they did there, surely they can manage something for this forest. It's creepy…I'm guessing that's why we never get any visitors at the guild hall."

"We're a dark guild, remember?" Mavis frowned, narrowing her eyes at him.

"And that means people can't stop by and say hello? Fairy Tail is about family, Zeref. Everyone is welcome, so this road needs to be brighter and less scary." She glanced at the deadened trees lining the road, shuddering slightly. "It actually…reminds me of the curse." Her voice grew quiet, slightly more serious on that note. In a way, Zeref couldn't blame her, but he didn't like the slight tremor he heard in her comment.

Hardening his gaze at the surrounding area, Zeref nodded. "I see. I will tell Mira to place a request on the job board then, asking the guild members to work on landscaping in this area. I do believe there were a few shops in town that sold plants and foliage that could liven this area. Beyond that, they have leftover materials for repairing damage to roads…they could likely clean up this pathway as well."

"But…what if it is cursed? Zeref…I don't want to watch the new plants…"

Zeref grabbed her arm, stopping walking and turning her towards him. Narrowing his eyes at her, Zeref leaned forward and pressed his forehead to hers. "They won't. Mavis…our curse is gone. The fact that I'm alive, standing next to you, is proof of that, is it not?" He watched her green eyes meet his own, and after a moment, Mavis took a deep breath. She backed away, nodding and slowly managing a smile again as she returned to walking back towards the guild.

"Right. Sorry…I'm normally better at keeping that in mind than you are." Zeref nodded, still knowing how she felt. Some days, it was easy to imagine that he was still the immortal black wizard. He would wake up from dreams of the past, terrified that he would see more death surrounding him. Mavis was always the one to pull him away from that mindset, telling him his magic was gone entirely. It felt so strange, missing that piece of himself. Despite the lack of energy in his veins, a piece of him still attempted to draw on that power on occasion, attempting to teleport to move or even speak telepathically if he wished to talk to someone outside of the room he was in.

When Zeref pushed open the doors to the guild, he was expecting more of the usual. In a way, that was what he got. However, he was surprised to see something unusual gathering at one tables. Most of the wizards had stopped their fights to watch, surrounding Cana, Elfman, and a third man who were sitting on top of the table, apparently having a drinking contest of some kind. "That's how a real man does it, Cana!" Elfman was taking a break between drinks to taunt his opponent. However, Zeref was more surprised by the third party involved.

Normally, August was calm and collected, always keeping a clear mind. Somehow, Cana must have gotten him curious about what this would be like. The member of the Spriggan Twelve was on the table as well, watching her with a small frown. "I still fail to see how this proves strength. You have consumed far more alcohol than your father, and I have consumed as much as you. Yet, I still do not feel this sense of…friendship, you claim this creates."

Placing his head into his palm, Zeref resisted the urge to groan. Seeing him, Gray grinned and walked over. "Hey, Master. August stopped by, asking to see you. We told him you'd be back in a few…but Cana got talking, and that lead to this. Since when are your guards such heavy drinkers?"

"They aren't." Zeref glanced towards Mavis, seeing her frowning in confusion at the sight. She still didn't realize who that was, he decided. "Cana piqued his interest. In fact, I can't say I've ever seen him drink before."

Setting her box on the bar counter, Mavis quickly returned with a smile. "Well, he must have. No new drinker could compete with Cana like that." She was still getting to know everyone, but it didn't take long for anyone to see Cana's drinking habits.

"I'm afraid I have to agree with the First. Your guard hasn't been following your rules, has he?" Zeref didn't reply to Gray. He didn't exactly have rules about drinking, even while serving in his guard. Really, so long as they could still fight, it mattered little what their state of mind was. That had been his thoughts on the matter back home, and it had never become a problem. "Either way, I've gotta say I'm impressed. He's doing even better than Makarov did the last time Cana challenged him." Somewhere between Gray's first comment and his last, the boy's shirt vanished. Zeref didn't bother asking what happened, well aware of his habits.

Meanwhile, Cana and August were still working at it. After guzzling down another beer, Cana smirked at August. "Yeah? Well, I'm certainly feeling something. Maybe your emperor needs to join us for you to get the full experience." Cana spoke a bit loudly, declaring that she had noticed his return. With a smirk, she turned her head towards him, playfully making the offer. "What do you say? That curse of yours is gone, so it's not like you have an excuse to say no now, Master."

Meeting August's gaze, Zeref sighed and shook his head. "Cana…while I do encourage welcoming others into the guild, there are better ways to do so. There are important matters I had wished to discuss with him. Having him drunk for the process is not exactly what I had in mind."

Waving him off, Cana began drinking another glass. "Yeah, yeah. Go do your important stuff tomorrow. It's not like August can't sleep here for the night."

"Actually, I find that my mind is still quite clear." August rose to his feet, moving to stand near Zeref and Mavis. For a moment, August seemed to narrow his eyes towards Mavis, before returning his focus towards Zeref. "I still find it odd, how others react to alcohol. The substance does little to affect my own thoughts." Oddly, it was appearing as if he was correct. Did August's magic somehow nullify alcohol, just as it gave him the ability to counter any spell? It seemed unlikely. More probable was the idea that his body could metabolize it faster than most, allowing him to keep a clear head even while drunk. Either way, it didn't matter to Zeref.

When Zeref began walking passed the bar with August and Mavis, Mira leaned close to him, whispering and making him pause. "Master. Sorry for the confusion…but I had to make Cana think August was drinking with her to keep them occupied." Giving him a wink, Mira smiled towards August. "I've been giving him non-alcoholic cocktails, the ones Lucy enjoys so much. After telling him about the trick, I told him to just keep drinking them with Cana while she finished off her usual booze."

"It still does not change the fact that I have yet to experience the effects of alcohol. If it were not for the fact that I was on business for my emperor, perhaps I would have enjoyed learning what it felt like." August glanced back towards Cana, and Zeref decided it was better to get him away sooner rather than later. A fake drinking contest would only make Cana more intent on turning it into a real one, and Zeref needed to keep August clear headed. In fact, Zeref still needed to figure out what he was going to say in the first place.

Opening the door to his room, Zeref let August and Mavis enter. Once again, August glanced towards Mavis with a slight frown. "Is she joining us, sire?"

Nodding, Zeref moved inside, still standing as Mavis sat on the bed. "Yep! I'm following Zeref around. Natsu made me promise not to leave Zeref's side when he left for his training, saying that Zeref had a bad habit of trying to find ways to kill himself when his brother wasn't around." She smiled at Zeref, who simply sighed and closed his eyes. Part of him knew his brother was only concerned, but this really was overkill. Mavis took those words a bit too literally, though he supposed he didn't mind her company. In fact, he found he was actually quite content to have her bright smile always trailing along after him wherever he went. "I haven't seen it myself, so I guess I'm doing a good job at keeping him in a good mood. Right, Zeref?"

"The curse was largely why I desired such a thing. Natsu simply did not realize that I could pull myself out of that state with my magic gone." Taking a deep breath, Zeref turned to see August glancing between the two of them with a frown. Going for the simpler subject first, Zeref tried to think about how to approach the more dangerous one as he spoke. "How is everything in Alvarez?"

"Quite alright. I must admit, we were alarmed to see your letter. It did not fit your normal contact methods." August, crossed his arms over his chest, taking a seat in the chair by Zeref's desk. "Trading arrangements have been finalized, we've begun negotiations with Fiore now as well, attempting for friendlier relationships with this country. Things have been strained over the last few years between us, as you well know. After hearing about the loss of your magic…the Spriggan Twelve have been working to keep such information away from the public. It would not do well for the people to believe you are in such a weakened state, your majesty."

"You seem to have quite a strong grasp on politics, August. I suppose I never took the time to realize it before." August nodded, while Zeref frowned in thought. He needed to stay focused on this conversation, not what to do with his empire now that he was powerless. Despite his abilities, August likely would not want to worry over ruling an empire after this discussion. In fact, August might not even return at all, depending on what happened.

Hearing the name, Mavis stiffened, her eyes widening as she glanced up towards him. "August?" The name left her mouth, her entire body sitting straighter and she leaned towards him. Her mouth was open, as if ready to speak, but she didn't seem to be able to find the words. Seeing her reaction, Zeref moved closer to her, touching her shoulder and squeezing it slightly. Her gaze flickered towards him, her eyes now watery and her smile faded. "He's…Zeref, he's…" She bit her lip, looking back towards August again without completing her thought.

The member of the Spriggan Twelve frowned at her, tilting his head slightly. "I apologize, but I do believe you are mistaking me for another. My memory is far greater than you might think, and I would recall meeting someone like you." Yet, August was not claiming he didn't remember seeing her. Narrowing his eyes, Zeref glanced towards his guard, a sudden realization hitting him hard. So long ago, when he met August as a child, he had assumed it was by chance. The boy had been wandering, abandoned by his parents. That had been Zeref's assumption. Perhaps he had been too quick to judge, however.

"You knew." He spoke quietly, watching as August frowned towards him.

"Knew what, sire?"

Closing his eyes, Zeref looked away and tried to think of how to word his comment. When he opened them, he kept them locked on the wall, rather than on his son sitting before him. "When you came to me…you knew who I was to you. Despite my own ignorance…you knew you were my son. And right now…you know Mavis is your mother."

There was silence in the room for a moment. August stared at them, and after a moment of simply staring at his parents and processing Zeref's words, he inclined his head. "Yes. I knew." Zeref's head turned towards him, frowning at the man that had served him for so long.

Even Mavis blinked in surprise, her tears now openly falling down her cheeks. "You…you knew. Why didn't you…didn't you tell him? Or…or try to find me…" She bit her lip, sniffling slightly. Zeref felt her hand reach up to her shoulder, her fingers wrapping around his own which still remained resting near her neck. "We're a family. I had a son…and I never even…you never even…" She broke off, choking on her words as she cried into her own lap.

Meeting Zeref's dark gaze, August slowly began to smile. "My emperor's curse was more than enough reason. Why push someone to love another, when that love can prove fatal to all around you? It seemed like a rather foolish endeavor for one who understands so much about magic. As for you…freeing you was another impossible goal, Mother."

"I accomplished many things with this curse, August." Zeref saw the man nod, taking deep breath.

"Yet you never managed to love while preserving the life of the one you love. So long as I could understand who you were, that was always enough for me."

"I raised you to be a soldier." Zeref didn't know how else to phrase it. He had used that child like a weapon, never seeing August as a person until now.

The old wizard nodded, smiling towards Zeref. "Indeed, and I am grateful. How else would I have come to find answers to so many of my questions? Even now…I see that I am on the verge of yet another discovery." His eyes locked on Mavis, seeing her own tears falling still. He frowned at the sight, but he did not look away this time. "Have I displeased you in some way, Mother? I…I do not understand why it is you continue to cry."

Her head lifted, locking eyes with her son as well. "Because you're my son! Because…because I never loved you…I didn't know I was supposed to…and now that I do, you're…" She sniffled, wiping away at her eyes. Even so, more tears fell to replace the ones she had wiped away. "I missed your life. I can't teach you anything new…I can't show you magic, or amazing things like Zeref did. All I can do…all that's left…is for us to get to know each other. Even then…" She sniffled again, crying harder as her head fell forward. "You look even older than me. You look…you're going to…"

She couldn't finish her sentence, and Zeref knew why. Their son was likely at the end of his life, and likely in a decade or less, he would be dead. To finally meet him now was almost too painful to bear, yet he knew Mavis would regret it even more if she didn't take this opportunity. She cried because she was mourning for what she lost, but also because she was happy for the future that she and her son might now share. "We both have, Mavis." Zeref spoke quietly, a frown on his own face. He hadn't missed nearly as much as Mavis, and he had come to terms with these thoughts back when he learned the truth, but that did not mean he wasn't upset by the truth. August had always been his family, yet in a way, they also had never been family to each other. "I assure you, Alvarez can succeed without August, if you wish for him to stay. We can remain together, the three of us…enjoying our broken family while we still can."

Sniffling, Mavis had turned around, meeting Zeref's eyes with a slight light in her gaze. However, Zeref became distracted by the sound of August's chair moving on the floor as he rose to his feet. The man was watching them, a smile on his face with a single tear falling down his cheek. "I've finally found what it means." Zeref stared at him in confusion, lost as to what question August was seeking an answer to this time. "Thank you. Please, there is no need for anything to change, Sire." Turning towards Mavis, August's smile faded slightly, watching as her frozen form returned his gaze. "As for you…perhaps it is time we knew each other, Mother. However, I feel as if I've learned all there is to know from my emperor."

Stunned, Zeref wanted to ask what had caused such an epiphany. He wouldn't have that answer for at least another week, though. August had bowed towards Zeref, smiling and giving them both one last look. The tear on his cheek finally fell, breaking free and dropping to the ground as he turned to leave. As it did so, Mavis' own heart seemed to shatter. "August…no, please…" She began sobbing, her body shaking on the bed, Zeref joined her, pulling her into a tight hug as her sobs continued on. "Come back…" Her voice was muffled by Zeref's robes, but he couldn't help but feel the same desire within himself. All he could do for her was hold her, closing his eyes and thinking about August's final words, unable to stop the rising anger towards his son for pushing Mavis into such a pained state of mind.

Here's another one-shot, a bit more serious than the last one. This request was made by Leiferne, looking to see a bit more of an elaboration on how Mavis and Zeref encountered August. I hope you all enjoyed! If you have anything else you are looking to see, feel free to PM me or leave your suggestion in a review!