"Cheers!"
The guild is so lively again, the halls echoing with the laughter of many voices. Everyone is in a good mood, celebrating the return of all the wizards that went to Tenroujima for the S-Class trials seven years ago.
There are a million conversations going on around the guild, and the sounds of everyone's chatter fills your ears. Thankfully, it's still around afternoon, so there isn't anyone stumbling around drunk yet, except maybe Cana... and Gildarts...
The doors bang open, sunlight from outside outlining five figures. Your first thought is that those thugs from before have somehow returned, but judging by Kinana's happy expression, it's someone else.
"Wow, it looks like the gang's here!" a deep male voice says.
A flash of recognition lights up Mirajane's face. "Don't tell me..."
"Let me congratulate you with love on your homecoming, everyone!" A pink-haired girl with cat ears and a very revealing outfit winks at the assembled Fairy Tail members.
A second person steps forward, barking his agreement like a dog.
"Are you all safe and sound?" The huge mountain of a man asks, with the same deep voice as before.
The fourth, a man with purple hair in a braid and large, bushy eyebrows, grins at everyone. "They may not have aged in seven years, but still..."
The man in the center still has yet to speak. "Are you gonna go back to being a boisterous guild?" he asks smugly, his spiky silver hair ruffling as he tilts his head to the side.
Gray is shocked at the sight of his rival. "You're..."
"Lamia Scale!" Lucy finishes, her chocolate-brown eyes wide.
"Pegasus and Lamia were both a big help in the search for Tenroujima," Max explains, gesturing to the group in the doorway.
"Oh, really?" Erza says, smiling in thanks at the newcomers.
"I guess we're in their debt now," Gray sighs.
Lyon smirks, closing his eyes lazily. "Don't worry about it." He straightens. "Pegasus has overtaken us, but we've got more powerful members."
"That's what you mean?" Gray deadpans.
Sherry pulls up a chair at one of the tables and takes a seat. "After all, these seven years, Lamia Scale has become the number two guild in Fiore." The pink-haired girl turns to Lucy, "Too bad for you, Lucy-san," she winks at the blonde.
"Then Pegasus is number one?" Lucy doesn't seem too offended at Sherry's attempt to provoke her.
"You really think that's possible?!" Toby, the dog-like dude, pops up out of nowhere, looking absolutely pissed off for some unknown reason.
"Why is he even so mad about this," you mumble, rolling your eyes as he continues ranting and raving.
"Cool it," Yuka, the purple-haired eyebrow guy, sighs as Toby continues his rage while waving around a beer mug. "It's not Pegasus."
"Come," Jura says, placing a massive hand on Gray's shoulder. "Let's change the subject. What's important is that everyone's safe."
You hear a slight gasp from behind you and turn to see Lyon staring intently at Juvia, who is suddenly aware of his attention and blinks rapidly in confusion. As you try to stifle your laugh, you swear you can hear the sound of Cupid's arrow striking Lyon's heart.
The silver-haired ice mage is instantly standing before Juvia, his hands placed on her shoulders. "I-Is this what they call love at first sight?!"
The blue-haired water mage is speechless, gaping at Lyon with wide eyes while Gray groans about how this is going to get complicated. Chuckling to yourself, you let your eyes wander around the guild, gazing at your guildmates who, as always, are being loud and making a nuisance of themselves.
It's almost like those seven years of absence never happened...
But, of course, that wasn't true.
* * *
As the day slowly darkens into night, the Lamia Scale members show no sign of leaving. You are at the bar, helping Kinana clean cups and silverware while Mirajane serves drinks to Master Makarov and Jura. The two Wizard Saints are talking in low voices, but you can't help overhearing their conversation.
"Makarov-dono, the gathering of the Ten Saints is drawing near," you hear Jura say. "But before that, I would like to inform you about a certain guild."
You pretend to be focused on polishing wine glasses as you listen to Jura's report. Apparently Jellal, Meldy, and Ultear have formed an independent guild seeking to destroy all evil and kill Zeref.
Drifting closer to Jura and the Master, you pour yourself a glass of water and set it on the counter after taking a sip. Makarov has his head in one hand, the other tightly clutching a mug of beer.
"Then he's still alive... Zeref..."
Hearing his name makes you shiver, and the glass of water slips out of your hand and falls to the table, the clear liquid inside spreading across the counter. Absentmindedly, you clean up the water spill and start toward the guild doors with long, purposeful strides.
Your footsteps echo through the mostly empty streets until you reach the building that you lived in seven years ago. You would be in the same boat as most of the Fairy Tail members if not for the large amount of Jewel you saved up from going on jobs all the time. Fortunately, your savings paid off the rent, but just barely.
I'll need to go on another job, you muse. One that has high pay...
You turn the cold brass doorknob to your old apartment and step inside, coughing from the dust floating around. You move slowly across the floor to the window on the other side of the room, the wooden boards squeaking under your feet.
Drawing the heavy curtains back, you push open the window and breathe in the cool night air. It feels so good to be back, even though no one got to become S-Class. Lifting your eyes to the horizon, you can see the guild in the distance, the lights still glowing warmly through the windows.
Unbidden, your thoughts turn to a certain black-haired male with dark, haunted eyes. You don't know why, but there is something that draws you to him. Maybe it's the air of constant sadness around him, or how mysterious and powerful he seems. At the very least, he's like no one you've ever met before.
Whoa there, Y/N. Don't get all lovey-dovey. Remember he hates you?
Right. Forcing Zeref from your mind, you think about the surprise party with Lamia Scale earlier. They had said they were the number two guild in Fiore, but no one had mentioned the top guild. You distinctly remember the carefully hidden look of unease on Jura's face as he cheerfully tried to change the subject.
I bet Fairy Tail would have been the number one guild seven years ago.
With that thought, you climb into bed and close your eyes, feeling content and peaceful at finally being at home.
Of course, your nightmares are anything but peaceful.
* * *
Thump! Something heavy hits you in the head.
Sitting up, you rub your eyes. "Ouch," you mumble half-heartedly.
Once you get over drowsiness, you turn to glare at the object that just attacked your head.
It's an egg. Pearly white with silver patterns curling around it like flames. As if on cue, the egg cracks open and you blink rapidly in confusion at the tiny winged cat sitting inside.
"But...you're a cat? And you came out of an egg?"
The small cat stares up at you with large blue eyes. "I'm an Exceed, but sure I guess I came out of an egg."
You grin at its sarcastic comment and pick it up.
"Aw, you're so adorable."
The cat rolls its gorgeous cerulean eyes. "Yes that's been established. Are you going to bring me home with you?"
You're about to reply when a dark shadow looms over you.
"What is this?"
YOU ARE READING
Cursed (Zeref X Reader)
Fanfiction(Y/N) has always tried to lock away her past, rejecting her old magic which was forced upon her by one of the darkest figures in history. Then she meets Zeref, cursed by the ancient god Ankhseram, doomed to kill all those that come too near.
