Summary: After the Giant War, Percy accepted godhood, to change Olympus, and Zeus. Hera gets punished for her actions during the war. And Percy takes the empty spot on the Olympian council.
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Change in Leadership
When all was said and done and the Giant War was won, Percy knew something had to change. He'd though, naively, that he would be able to change things, after the Titan War. And it hadn't. Sure, the gods now claimed their demigodly children earlier… to still use them like pawns in their petty wars. And they still failed to keep all their promises, like setting Calypso free.
Forcing the gods to make promises wasn't going to change anything. He wouldn't be able to change anything from the outside. Change only happened on the inside. And so he decided to claim what had been offered to him before. Godhood. Because even in one lifetime of pestering the gods, he would not be able to change enough. Godhood meant being on the inside, and having the time.
And one of the first things he pushed for was a punishment for Hera. Zeus had wanted to punish Apollo for what had happened, like he was responsible for the prophecies or something, who knew what that guy was thinking. Hera, on the other hand, had actively worked against the gods' wishes – which, on its own, wouldn't bother Percy so much, but she had also actively worked against them all. Stealing Jason and Percy and memory-wiping them, rendering them useless and vulnerable for too long. Her intentions, of making Greeks and Romans work together, might have been the right impulse, but the way she went about it was revolting, impractical and wasted time.
Not to mention the personal hurt feelings he had about having months of his life stolen and nearly dying multiple times on his way to New Rome, going on a quest without his memories and also being forced to lose his Achilles curse because of that woman. Yes, this was personal.
After presenting his arguments to the council, he could sway enough people. Because the gods were petty, the gods did not like to be manipulated – and that was what Hera had done. So she was stripped of her godhood and powers and sent to the mortal world, to earn it back. Alone. There was a sick sense of vindication and glee that Percy felt at that, because it wasn't that different from how she had stripped him of everything and sent him to the Romans. A punishment fitting the crime.
With Hera on her little mortal vacation, there was a vacant spot on the council. Honestly, Percy had expected Hades to take it – the Fates knew the god deserved it – but with a cryptic smile, Hades had shook his head and declined, saying there was a reason he stayed away from Olympus. All the drama, he told Percy. He also told Percy that he should take the seat, because he'd actually do something with it, instead of squabbling over petty family feuds.
That hadn't been as surprising as it should have been though. He'd seen what Hades was capable of and where his stand was, in all of this. So Percy had simply returned that cryptic smile and obliged.
And that was how Percy Jackson became the god of rain and member of the Olympian council. Which still sounded and felt so surreal to Percy, even after three months. Olympus was so overwhelming, beautiful but strange. And having to put up with the gods was exhausting. Sure, it wasn't all bad, he hung out a lot with Apollo, played cards with Hermes, learned all the juiciest gossip from Aphrodite. He was getting to know the gods on a personal level, and as equals. It was good. He… liked it. He liked being here, liked hanging out with most of them, liked his duties.
"Perseus," Zeus' voice was an annoyed grumble.
Smiling a little, Percy turned toward Zeus. Over the past months, Percy had actually learned to read Zeus pretty well and distinguish between the various grunts and glares. This one, it was annoyed – but not at Percy. At something that Percy was supposed to solve. So Percy remained seated at the edge of the giant pool that Olympus had, his feet dangling in the water, regarding the king. Waiting. Because part of his little 'Olympus has to change' project was to change the king.
Once Zeus realized Percy wasn't just going to come running, he grunted again, more annoyed this time, and crossed his arms over his chest. "The… nymphs are fighting, again."
"How's that my problem?" Percy raised an eyebrow, unimpressed and uninterested.
"Demeter is egging on the dryads, Ares just wants them all to fight, and one of them actually picked a personal fight over Aphrodite about… make-up?" Zeus looked so uncomfortable. "They keep yelling for me like they are children. I am the king of Olympus, I'm not dealing with their petty squabbles I have more important business to attend."
"Oh, and I don't?" Percy now raised his other eyebrow too. "Not my circus, not my monkeys."
"But they like you," Zeus unfolded his arms and gestured in agitation. "You can… deal with them. They listen to you! You are a member of the Olympian council, you will-"
"Oh, no," Percy interrupted him, shaking his head. "I'm not a demigod you can smite anymore, I am not going to take that tone from you, I am a member of the Olympian council, as you just pointed out, and I demand some respect too, from my king."
Zeus actually growled at that – always a sign that his patience was wearing thin, not that that bothered Percy all that much, he'd always lacked self-preservation, according to… everybody who ever met him. Percy pushed off the edge of the pool and dove into the water, swimming to the other end of the pool without resurfacing once, then turning and pushing off the wall. Only when he was in front of Zeus again did he emerge, hoping that was enough time to cool Zeus' temper.
"Join me," Percy offered after a moment.
"...What," Zeus stared at him incredulously. "There are three Olympians, fighting, right now-"
"And they'll get bored by it in no time," Percy shrugged. "If there's one thing I learned since moving here it's that you guys have an attention-span that is flat-out worse than mine. Aphrodite is gonna drop it once she gets horny, which consequently will also make Ares drop it because getting into Aphy's panties is more fun than egging on any fight, at which point Demeter and the dryads can just go back to whatever they were doing before this escalated. Now, join me."
"You are insolent and insubordinate," Zeus muttered beneath his breath.
Despite the muttering, he still went to climb into the pool. Percy smirked victoriously. The gods were all about manipulation – it was just about being more sneaky than what Hera had done by forcing the gods' hands during the war. Percy, despite what most his old teachers would claim, was actually a quick study. When it came to the important things in life. He'd learned to adapt to Olympus and godhood in his own way and he thought he was doing pretty well.
"I am the king of Olympus," Zeus huffed slightly. "I have responsibilities, I don't have time to… swim in the pool with you on a whim, while other gods are fighting."
"Again," Percy sighed. "It will resolve itself. Okay, here's a compromise: You stay in this pool with me for twenty minutes. And after that, I come check on your squabbling gods and take care of it in case it's still going on. Besides, you are the king. You get to do what you want. Swim with me."
He took Zeus' hands and then swam backward, pulling the king with him. Part of changing Zeus meant making him ease up and maybe take that stick out of his ass. So, Percy tried to actually get to know Zeus – which was harder than with the other gods – and tried to get the guy to relax. Coincidentally, he was kind of actually having fun during all of this. Which, unexpected.
The two drifted in the water for what felt like eternity but was only about ten minutes. Percy could visibly see how Zeus relaxed. Not necessarily open and soft, but… there was something there, something mesmerizing that Percy knew was dangerous, for himself. They drifted closer.
"The twenty minutes are up," Zeus cleared his throat, heading out.
Heaving a sigh, Percy climbed out after Zeus, following him to where the commotion supposedly was. There was nothing there. Peace, quiet and some frolicking dryads. Percy grinned and hip-checked Zeus, who grunted and stumbled a little, glaring at him.
"See. The king of Olympus takes twenty minutes self-care time and Olympus has, in fact, not crumbled into pieces," Percy's grin turned more teasing. "You are welcome."
"You… didn't even do anything this time, it resolved itself."
"Ye—ep. And you didn't have to deal with it and instead had a nice swim. You're welcome."
/break\
So the major flaw in Percy's plan was that he was basically Beauty-and-the-Beast-ing Zeus. Trying to make him more approachable, kinder, more… human. Which, was the good part. The bad part was where he was putting himself into the position of Belle, who oh so famously fell in love with the Beast. And that was the major flaw. He had not accounted for that to happen, in no way could he have predicted that he could develop actual feelings for Zeus. A god, yes, that was to be expected, now that he was a god himself, but the king of gods?
But with every time he hung out with Zeus, getting closer to him and learning more about him, Percy grew more attached. He couldn't even pinpoint when exactly he had fallen in love with Zeus, but it was roughly six months into his stay on Olympus that he realized, when he looked at Zeus and just seeing the king laugh and have a good time with Dionysus at a party made Percy smile. And oh no, he was happy just to see Zeus happy, he was having serious… feelings.
For a couple weeks, he fully hid it out, managed to avoid Zeus with everything else going on, but then he started to hear that Zeus was reverting back to how things used to be. Multiple gods had approached Percy and told him to 'get it together' and go deal with Zeus because apparently, he was the only one capable of doing something. Which was startling to hear too. The others had caught on with what he was doing, and that it was working. Okay. That was what he had to do, then.
"Zeus," Percy grunted, glowering just a little. "Stop terrorizing the muses, they are annoyed."
"I'm not terrorizing, I am simply requesting them to do their work," Zeus glared at him, and it was the hard glare, the serious one, the one Percy hadn't seen in months. "What do you care."
Oh. Even Zeus had caught on with the part where Percy had been avoiding him. Flushing just a little in embarrassment, Percy went to sit next to the king, motioning for the muses to leave. They did with no reluctance. Zeus looked like a petulant child, causing Percy to roll his eyes and reached out to rest a hand on Zeus', giving it an ever so gentle squeeze, startling the god.
"So, I like you," Percy whispered. "And I didn't… deal with it, on account of your history of being, well, you. But… Things are different. I'm not a demigod anymore, I'm a god too. And I know what I'm signing up for. But you would have to… make a genuine effort. Can you do that?"
He didn't even question if Zeus liked him back, he knew. Zeus nodded sharply and leaned in, eager. Percy grinned against the king's lips as they kissed for the first time. He could handle Zeus.
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I'll be posting my original characters that are a part of my Shadowverse (it's a collection of Harry Potter fanfics).
This is my 1st OC
⚡️ ・ Name ︰Zephyr Wildblood
🖇️ ・ Age ︰16 (in the first chapter)
🥖 ・ Wand Type ︰holly with a phoenix feather core
🔮 ・ Abilities (NA if inapplicable) ︰None, unless annoying the prefects and the teachers on purpose counts as an ability
🌿 ・ School (or alma mater) ︰Hogwarts
🏹 ・ House (if applicable) ︰Gryffindor ❤️
🍓 ・ Job (if applicable) ︰N/A
(This is how I've envisioned him to look like.)
BACKGROUND
Zephyr Wildblood is a white-haired boy with a devious face that suggests he is prone to getting in trouble, emerald eyes that glisten in darkness like beautiful gemstones, and an upturned nose that would somehow not become longer with every lie its owner have said.
He comes from a wealthy family that has a lot of influence in the wizarding world.
PERSONALITY
Zephyr is a free spirit, without a care in the world, acting on his whims and desires. He is just like the wind. No, scratch that. A whirlwind that causes chaos and mischief, whenever he arrives without any regrets or second thoughts. He especially loves antagonizing Percy Weasley.
Zephyr Wildblood is one of the main characters of my Rulebreaker fanfiction.
I tried to stay as close to the request as possible, however, there were a few things that I had to change for a better understanding for the reader. Nothing major was changed, though.
I hope you enjoy!
Fairy Meets Dark Wizard (Zeref x Lucy)
"You're gonna do what?!"
Lucy sighed. She knew that her teammates wouldn't be too big of fans of her decision. She crossed her arms over her chest and repeated herself to her three friends, "I'm going to Akane Resort." Natsu, Gray, and Erza opened their mouths to say something in unison again, but their blonde teammate raised her hand to silence them. She continued, "It's just for a few weeks. I just need some time to myself and relax. I'll be back at the guild before you know it." She finished with a smile.
The three mages were silent for a few moments, obviously not pleased that she was staying at Akane Resort without them. Natsu was the one to speak, "why can't we stay with you, Luce?"
Lucy gave a simple answer, "I just need to be alone." She then turned around and walked away from her team, not waiting for them to say anything.
She wasted no time in packing up her stuff in the hotel that the two Fairy Tail teams had been staying at for the Grand Magic Games. She sent her things to the Celestial Spirit World by summoning Virgo before she traveled to Akane Resort, which is how she found herself where she is now.
Lucy gave a relaxed sigh, laying on her stomach on a beach towel, enjoying the sun that shined onto her. She had untied the strings of her bikini top, sunbathing and hoping to get at least a little tanned. She was drifting off into sleep when she suddenly felt a pull on her magic. She lifted her head from its position of laying on her folded arms. She looks around the beach, only to find that there was nobody around. Strange. She could have sworn that there were other people when she arrived just ten minutes ago.
Lucy sat up on her knees, reaching behind herself to tie the strings of her bikini top. She then stood and began walking along the beach until she came to a strip of forest. She stood at the edge, having followed the pull on her magic. She couldn't figure out what it was, but something was calling her through her magic, urging her to continue walking.
She took a single step before the pull disappeared altogether, making her take a couple of steps backward and blink several times. She looked up at the trees and then into the small forest. What was that? She had never experienced something like that before. Was someone in there? Was someone calling to her through the use of some type of magic? Or was it something rather than someone? Lucy shook her head and made her way back to her beach towel, finding that there were still no people on the part of the beach that she had been. She quickly decided to put it out of her mind and dismiss it as a one-time thing. She resumed her sunbathing with no other pull on her magic. She soon decided to head back to her hotel room.
Lucy had stayed at Akane Resort for a couple of weeks when she felt a pull on her magic again, this time stronger, much stronger. She had worked on her novel for a few hours before going to bed for the night. She laid down in the dark and closed her eyes, waiting for sleep to take over. However, it didn't happen. She began tossing and turning in bed, unable to sleep or even get comfortable. She couldn't figure out why she was having difficulty falling asleep. There was nothing wrong, so why couldn't she sleep?
She was laying in bed, staring up at the ceiling, when she felt that pull on her magic again. It was weak but noticeable. She sat up, climbed out of bed, and walked over to her large window. She looked out of it but didn't see anything. Knowing that she was the only wizard at the resort, she decided that it would be best to investigate. She exited her hotel room and followed the pull on her magic, still in her nightclothes and a keyring of gold and silver keys in her hand. As she walked, the magical pull got steadily stronger.
She quickly found herself on the beach, the pull on her magic now so strong that she couldn't break free of it even if she wanted to. She walked toward the ocean. She found on the sandy shore a pair of dark boots, a large and white piece of cloth, and a dark robe with a lighter color along the trim. Lucy looked up to see what appeared to be a man standing in the water, his back to her. He stood there with no shirt, the legs of his pants rolled up to his knees. The water of the ocean lapped around his ankles. Light from the full moon overhead shinned down, providing just enough light for Lucy to make out the man's black hair and pale skin.
Lucy found herself in a trance as the pull on her magic increased in strength, revealing to her that this man was the source of the mysterious pull. She watched him with wide eyes, unable to move further. The man, feeling a pair of eyes on him, slowly turned around. He seemed surprised to find Lucy standing there, simply staring at him in what he could only identify as wonder and intrigue.
He felt a strong yank on his magic. He quickly came to the realization that this young woman was the source of the magical pull he felt the first time he came to this resort, seeking escape from crowds of people that he had found himself encountering too many times. He felt a magical pull while resting in a small strip of forest. Fearing that it was a person, he ran away, determining to not return. However, just a couple of weeks later, he returned only briefly to stand in the ocean water and wash away the solitude that followed him everywhere he went. He had felt a weak pull, but ignored it, hoping that it would go away. He felt it slowly get stronger, but continued to ignore it with a hopeless prayer that it would go away.
Zeref took in the woman's appearance. Her beautiful face, radiant blonde hair, enchantingly dark eyes, and revealing sleeping attire. He gave her a small smile, saying just loud enough for her to hear, "a heavenly creature such as yourself shouldn't be near me." He knew that he should be worried for her safety, but for some reason he couldn't put his finger on he just wasn't worried for her. Rather, he shared her feelings of captivation.
Lucy took a step closer, her chocolate-brown eyes locking onto the night sky-black eyes of the man in front of her. They didn't know each other, and yet they were drawn so strongly towards each other that they couldn't even break their gazes. Lucy asked in almost a whisper that Zeref was just barely able to hear, "why?" She took another step closer, stepping into the water.
Zeref willed himself to step away from her, but his body refused to listen, instead, he took a couple of steps closer to Lucy. The two mages slowly walked closer until they were standing directly in front of each other, just a foot of distance between them. They were still staring into each other's eyes as Zeref raised his left hand as though he was asking her to place her hand in his. Lucy lifted her guild marked hand and gently placed it on his, allowing him to close his fingers around her hand to hold it with a firm yet also gentle grip.
The magical pull that both mages were experiencing immediately dissipated, but they remained staring into each other's dark eyes, not wanting to look away for even a moment. The pair slowly leaned closer until their lips met in a soft kiss.
Part 4/? [part 3] [part 5]
Pairing: Zeref and Lucy
Rating: T
Word count: 5,504
Status: Ongoing
A/N: Yay! Sorry for the awful delay. I was really busy with my remaining weeks of summer vacation so I had to make the best of it. I hope you like this part! This one is my favorite so far.
Summary: When Lucy is given a chance to save her mother, she takes it, unbeknownst to her that the cost will be leaving the Heartfilia family forever. In addition to that, she has to spend the rest of her life with the most evil mage of all time and accompany him until her last breath.
The rain was pouring hard one morning, and Lucy and Zeref were cooped up inside the four wheeler, with the thunder clapping above them and a howling wind reverberating across the forest. They had closed the windows and doors, resulting to an echo of their voices as they talked in loud octaves, attempting to be heard through the continuous pelting.
Lucy tried not to look too panicked, but every time she caught sight of her dark-colored gem, she just couldn’t help but worry that what if—what if his curse was to go rampant at this time.
“I’ll just teleport myself out of here.”
She lifted her head, surprised eyes meeting his warm ones. She flushed and nodded. “Sorry… I was just…”
“It’s okay,” he reassured her, leaning back on the bench as he admired the chaos outside. “I was thinking about that too.”
She kept talking to him as his head laid on the window, with droplets of water sliding down its surface and he replied with lengthy answers, his voice serene and peaceful. It was a moment later when the rain quieted down and so did she.
When he looked back at her, she was unconscious.
He bit his lip and looked at his hand, a burning hatred steeling his gaze before he ran his fingers through his hair. A sigh escaped his lips. He closed his eyes, counted to three, and teleported away.
接
“You’re alive,” the Queen whispered, unbelieving. “Did you… Did you manage to find Zeref, dear?”
“She did.”
Lucy choked on her breath as she felt his presence beside her, dark and untamed.
“T-The Black Wizard?!” the King spluttered, hands gripping the armrests of his throne, knuckles turning white.
Zeref smiled politely. “Just call me by my name, please.”
Lucy tried to calm her heart and even out her breathing, a stiff, apologetic smile spreading her lips as she faced the two rulers. “He gave me what I needed, and today my mother still lives.”
The Queen recovered from her shock, eyes now filled with relief and pleasant surprise. “Zeref,” she drawled, sudden realization sparking in her stare. “You’ve been staying in our forests.”
“We have.”
Her long gown hissed as she shifted in her chair. “What business do you want to discuss with us that made you enter the city, risking your presence, and visit us?” She glanced at the blonde beside him. “Although I suppose, bringing dear Lucy along is quite tactical of you.”
Zeref chuckled. “She was the one who wished to meet you, Isabel.”
Lucy turned, about to ask why he knew her name when she did not, but kept her mouth shut instead. The King heaved a heavy sigh. “We’re just glad that she is safe and that you haven’t done any harm to her.”
Isabel nodded grimly and then squared her shoulders. “Let us talk about other matters. What brings you two here?”
“I just wish to warn you of an upcoming war,” Lucy replied first, ignoring the look Zeref sent her. “Even though it might only affect Fiore, I just want Pergrande to prepare if ever the attacks reach this far.”
However, she knew that he wouldn’t go that far. Zeref had informed her that if he decided to push through, he was going to make sure that Pergrande would be untouched. Lucy wondered why, and there was this assumption that perhaps it was because it had become their home, even though they only stayed outside of the city.
“We’ll strengthen our army in advance,” the King told them, eyes hardening at the news.
Lucy smiled warily. “Thank you for your time,” she said and bowed deeply.
Isabel and the King watched them leave quietly, noticing the way Zeref’s hand gripped her waist before they vanished.
接
The Alvarez Empire was massive, if Lucy had anything to say about it. She was introduced to his personal guards as soon as they had arrived and he made her promise to not call him Zeref in public. However, she rejected the offer to live in the palace, instead choosing to reside in an inn that was run by a lovely lady named Olivia. On some days she would go out to visit him, while on the other days he would sleep with her when he knew his magic was at bay.
Today was one of the days when she had to go to the palace. She was up at dawn, and the beginning of a sunrise was slipping through her curtained windows, slightly illuminating her dark room. The wind was lovely as it kissed her skin, a little bit on the colder side but not enough to make her want to cover up.
She grabbed her cloak from the clothing rack and wore it over her simple choice of pants and a top. Even after all those years, she still hadn’t replaced it. Perhaps because it had a sentimental value. Perhaps because Zeref had enchanted it for her and knew that he wouldn’t do it again.
Breakfast with Olivia was always pleasant. Laid in front of her was a plate full of scrambled eggs, another with meat from some exquisite animal, a bowl of buttered vegetables and loaves upon loaves of bread. She wondered why she had so much food.
“Oh, I’m having some friends over,” Olivia replied simply, sipping on a cup of tea as her jade eyes flicked upwards to meet Lucy’s. “And you?”
“Visiting the Emperor,” was her short reply. Olivia already knew what that meant. After the first incident when Zeref had gone to stay the night with her, the innkeeper was left flabbergasted the next morning when she found him in her room sleeping. Before he left, he made her swear an oath to never tell anyone that he visited the inn.
Olivia was trustworthy enough so sometimes Lucy told her about their travels. But only hand-picked ones, and never the stories that could potentially put any of them in danger.
“When will you return then?” the woman asked, her chestnut colored hair falling over her eyes as she tilted her head to the side.
Lucy smiled. “I never stay long enough to sleep overnight, you know,” she reminded her, taking a last bite of meat before downing her coffee. It nearly burned her tongue. “I have to go now.”
“Stay safe!”
“Will do!”
Lucy stepped out onto the cobbled pavement and relinquished the rare peace. With the incoming war that Zeref wished to wage on Ishgar, the citizens of Alvarez were tense and always shouting out orders. There was always some sort of ruckus happening out there during the busy hours of the day. The market was even worse, but she liked the things they sold there so she decided not to mind.
As she made her quiet walk to the palace, thoughts littered her mind. It had been five years now since that day on Tenrou Island. Five whole years since she last saw the Black Dragon—since they moved to Alakitasia. No one knew, not even Zeref himself, where he was now. Although he had some guesses and well-thought assumptions, he wasn’t going to kill him any time yet, apparently. And the war—she didn’t know what it was for. The most he had told her was that it was to take back something powerful, but what, she had no clue.
She wasn’t upset that he was telling her less lately. To be honest, she was thankful that he kept her mostly in the dark. She didn’t know what she truly felt about the war, but she knew that she didn’t want to be a part of it unless he asked her to. And he hadn’t yet.
Lucy reached the palace in half an hour. The guards stationed at the gate wordlessly granted her entrance, giving her a deep bow as she passed them. They had already learned their lesson the first time she visited and had made her wait for almost an hour, before Zeref himself went to get her.
Brandish greeted her at the foot of the stairs and curtsied when she approached. Lucy already told her not to, but the woman was stubborn. “His Majesty is in his study,” the green-haired girl said as they walked up the steps.
“Oh,” Lucy breathed. “Is he busy or what?”
“No, just overlooking proposals from some of the officials.”
She nodded, lips tightening as they entered the palace and was met with servants rushing about. She turned to Brandish. “What’s going on?”
“Ah,” the girl said, as if having remembered only now. “There was a fight among the Spriggan 12 earlier so they’re repairing the damages.”
Lucy arched a brow. “And you aren’t helping?”
Brandish smiled slyly, eyes gleaming with mischief. “Let them deal with it,” she dismissed, waving her hand.
It wasn’t long before they reached Zeref’s study. Lucy gripped the gold doorknob, insides twisting with happiness and turned it. Brandish had already vanished back into the hallways to give them privacy. When she walked inside and closed the door behind her, Zeref was still hunched over his desk, his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose.
She smiled fondly. “Headache?”
He bristled, stunned as he lifted his head to look at her. His posture relaxed afterwards. “I’m the strongest mage of all time, and I let a woman sneak up on me,” he said to himself, chuckling. “Good morning, Lucy.”
She grinned and finally approached him, taking a seat in front of his desk as he leaned over to place a kiss on her forehead. “Good morning. You look troubled,” she commented, fixing the papers that were scattered all over his table.
“Not anymore,” he replied, looking at her with that same warm gaze that she loved so much. “Do you want to go somewhere?”
Lucy shook her head, smiling. “I think I’d rather just stay here and chat. Watch you work, and stuff.”
He returned her smile. “Alright.”
The sun was beginning to set when they decided to leave his study. The halls were quieter now, void of the chattering of servants and the booming voices of his personal guards. It was on moments like these that she wondered how he conquered the nation. How did he make Alvarez grow this big?
They went to the balcony and stared out into the setting yellow orb in the distance, once again, having someone by her side as it happened. The silence somehow unnerved her.
“Lucy,” he began, pausing only to swallow. “I have something to ask of you.”
She felt her heartbeat quicken inside her chest and something roared in her ears, but she turned to him and her eyes continued to remain sincere. “What is it?” she asked.
Zeref’s chin inclined slightly. When he met her gaze, there was an odd emotion in the way he looked at her that made her insides melt. “I never planned to ask you of this but…” His smile saddened and he reached for her hand. “Will you join the war for us?”
Lucy’s breath hitched in her throat and her mind screamed at her that she was right—please, it begged. Don’t go.
She tightened her hold on his fingers and pressed her lips into a thin line. “I don’t see why you want me to join. Are Brandish and the others not enough?” she questioned softly.
“I want to win this war more than anything else. But I want to do it with you.”
Her forehead creased. “I don’t wish to cause any more bloodshed, Zeref.”
“Fight with me, Lucy,” he pleaded. “I will watch your back and you can watch mine.”
Maybe it was the way he said her name, or how his eyes seemed to beg. Maybe it was simply because she loved him, that she wanted to help him accomplish his goals and be by his side through thick and thin. But whatever reason she had was lost by the time she had looked away.
“I will join you.”
病
It was a quarter after midnight when she jolted awake. Lucy wasted no time in getting the blanket off her and swinging her legs over the bed to get on her feet. She stumbled into the bathroom, her gut twisting before she bent over the toilet bowl and emptied the contents of her stomach into it, along with a tinge of deep crimson.
She leaned back and sat on the heels of her feet, shuddering. The night was cold and irrefutably lonely. She reached out towards the mark on her back and tried to give Zeref a caress, a whisper in his ear that she missed him.
Within minutes, there was a knock on her door.
Lucy opened it to find him in his sleeping clothes, made of fine silk that made his skin seem paler than usual. Her eyes slowly trailed upwards, from the hem of his top, to his chest, to his jaw and finally—his eyes. She gave him a breathtaking smile.
“Lucy,” he murmured, stepping inside and closing the door behind him. “Did you have a nightmare?”
She tilted her head to the side. “Not really.”
Zeref gave her a long, calculating gaze before he grabbed her hand and tugged her towards the bed. She followed him wordlessly, nestling into his side as soon as he lied down. But Zeref twisted her around so her back was pressing against his front, his arms wrapped around her waist as he pulled her closer. He sighed against her neck and placed a kiss on the skin that was exposed for him.
“I wish you just stayed in the palace,” he said softly, rubbing relaxed circles on her midriff with his thumb.
She suppressed a shiver. “I wouldn’t mind… if only it wasn’t so full of people.”
“And why not?”
Her eyes fluttered close. “It reminds me of the Heartfilia Konzern.”
His finger stopped, and then resumed shortly. “I can dismiss all of them by evening, if you wish,” he suggested, kissing her shoulder once more. It was an apologetic gesture. “Or I can sleep here every night, if that is also what you wish.”
Lucy swallowed thickly and rasped, “But you can’t.”
Zeref buried his face in her neck and released a shaky breath that made her arch against him. His hand reached up to touch the necklace he gave her, lifting the pendant into the moonlight to find it clear as water. He dropped it and brushed her arm with his fingers before settling them back onto her abdomen.
“This is a night when I can.”
It was all he said before he turned her back around and brought her in for a deep kiss, one that he kept giving her for the rest of the night, while her quiet, trembling voice filled the crisp, cold air.
病
“They aren’t dead?” Lucy questioned, surprise masking her face.
Zeref shook his head, and together they stared out into the horizon, past the city’s countless houses and buildings, past the docks and the ocean, as if they could see the other continent. Almost as if they could see the border of Ishgar.
He sighed. “I don’t wish to die.”
She glanced at him from her corner of her eye. “How can you die? You’re immortal,” she reminded him, puzzled. Yes, why was he worrying about death so much? It was one of the reasons why she wanted to stay away from the war, because she knew he would win anyway. Wounded, perhaps. But not dead. Never dead.
He didn’t meet her gaze. “Seven years ago, I went to meet Natsu not because I missed him, or because I wished for a family reunion,” he began, throat bobbing as he gulped. “I went to meet him because he’s the only one who can kill me.”
Lucy’s eyes widened and the blood in her veins turned icy. “What?” she breathed.
“That day on Tenrou Island was meant to be my last,” he continued, trying not to look at the woman that made him live, despite his dark days and his black heart. “Now that he’s alive…”
She saw him through her tears and she took a step back. “Did you—did you not care that you would leave me?” she asked him, wringing her hands in front of her. “Did it not matter to you that I would be sad and lonely for eighty or more years?”
He lowered his head. “At that time, no. I cared, but not enough to not leave you.”
“You were going to break our contract,” she said hoarsely, chest squeezing with pain. “Our deal—our deal was to accompany you for the rest of my life.” She sobbed into her hands. “I already pretended not to know who Mavis was.”
Zeref stiffened, slowly looking over his shoulder. “W-What?”
“You think I don’t hear you say her name sometimes when you sleep?” she told him, laughing scornfully. “I decided long ago not to care, because whoever this girl was, I knew she was dead. I knew that this Mavis girl was the one you visited at Tenrou, and that she must have made you happy for a moment long ago.”
It was dreadfully silent apart from the mess that she was and the breeze that decided to blow her hair back. She gave him a bitter smile. “I was just frustrated that you couldn’t even tell me. And now—now you tell me you’ve been planning to kill yourself all along?”
He reached for her. “Not anymore,” he murmured, as if to coax her into his arms, but even his voice was broken. “Not anymore.”
“Liar.”
She didn’t dare move as he held her to him, her shoulders racking with loud sobs. “You coward,” she whispered loudly into his robes. “If you’re so disappointed in yourself,” she paused, rubbing at her eyes, “then atone for your mistakes! Fix them, kill your demons and the flaws of this world. Don’t—don’t even think for a second that death or whatever dark magic you have to reset time is the answer, because this world matters, too.”
Zeref hadn’t realized he was crying until a drop of salty water tickled his chin. He tightened his arms around her and swallowed thickly. “I’m sorry,” he replied in a strained voice. “I’m sorry.”
“If you’re going to d-die,” she said, choking on the words. “Then at least do it when I have passed away peacefully.”
A shudder wrecked down his spine, heart aching at the thought. “No,” he objected, squeezing his eyes shut. “You’re not going to die, Lucy. I won’t let that happen.”
She laughed once more, but it still didn’t hold any happiness, only miserable agony. “Unlike you Zeref, I’m a mortal. My existence is nothing but a few passing days to your eternal life.”
He said through gritted teeth, “That isn’t true.”
“It is,” she countered, using his body as support for she was exhausted—of everything. “I… I want to go back to the inn.”
“Not yet,” he begged. “Let’s talk about this first.”
But she shook her head and pushed him away. “No,” she mumbled, and she looked at him to reveal drained eyes, the skin beneath them red. “I’m leaving.”
“Lucy.”
She would have turned around—would have, but she found herself falling and the world tilted before her as her knees buckled. His name was all she said before he caught her just in time, her head inches away from the floor and blood dripping from her mouth.
He swore under his breath and called for Brandish.
責
Lucy awoke to the rumbling of clouds rolling over the empire.
Brandish sat beside her bed, a familiar heart-shaped gem in her hands as she enlarged it and compressed it to her will. She didn’t stop even as she sighed.
“How’s your head?”
The celestial mage blinked before looking around her. Judging from the white marble floor and pale-colored walls, lit by extravagant chandeliers hanging from the high ceiling, she knew she was at the palace. It was very much different from the dull interior of her inn room that looked dim even in the morning. And yet, the palace gleamed with brazen lights despite it being nightfall.
A sound like distress and reassurance escaped her lips.
“We told his Majesty it wouldn’t work, you know,” Brandish began quietly, that mask of indifference on her face slightly wavering. “This little thing.” As if to prove a point, she willed the pendant to squeeze in on itself until it was as tiny as an ant.
“What do you mean?”
She returned it to its original size and gently placed it on the bedside table. “E.N.D wears a scarf around his neck that keeps him safe from the Emperor’s Curse.”
Lucy swallowed hard. “What of it?”
Brandish met her gaze with a silence that roared in their ears, and she turned away with a grim face. “If he had given you something made of dragon scales instead,” she said quietly, gently—almost with pity. “Then this would actually work.”
Speechless, Lucy could only focus on keeping her breathing even, on making sure her heart wasn’t beating too fast for her to faint once more. She remembered their argument, how she had hated him with all of her heart and yet… At this moment, she felt nothing but remorse.
“You’re growing ill, aren’t you?”
The mere fact that Brandish had stated it with barely contained sadness made her grip the sheets.
Lucy breathed shakily, “Does he—does he know?”
A subtle nod. “In between our war meetings and plans, he gives us orders to find a way to render you immune from Ankhseram. Invel told him that the only way would be to use Acnologia’s scales since Irene refuses to let her gorgeous scales be used as an accessory, but he’s still trying to track him down.”
“And where is he right now?”
Brandish cracked a smile through her apathetic demeanor. “Far away. His Majesty doesn’t want to risk being near you at the moment.”
The clap of thunder made her jolt before Lucy relaxed into the soft pillows beneath her head. She finally released her white-knuckled grip on the white cloth covering her shivering body. Brandish frowned. “Are you cold?”
Lucy smiled faintly. “A bit,” she replied, casting a disbelieving glance at her friend’s choice of clothing. “Are you not?”
“No. It must be your body, since it is very weak at the moment.”
Nodding, she heaved a sigh before she started to push herself into an upright position. Her bones and muscles complained with every movement and she suppressed a hiss. Brandish didn’t stop her nor help her, but she kept a careful watch on her as she picked up a magazine and flipped through the pages. A flash of lightning enveloped the room in white light as the blonde successfully leaned against the headboard of the bed.
She panted slightly at the amount of effort it took just to sit. “Will I get my strength back?” Lucy inquired, reaching out to get her gem.
“Yes, if you rest for another day and drink your medicine tonight. But I make no promises—it could take days,” Brandish answered, her tone full of boredom. It did not, however, hide the relief that was delicately hidden behind it.
“Do you think,” Lucy paused to lock the necklace on her nape, “this will all work out?”
“Maybe.”
She opened her mouth to question Brandish again, but the sky whitened once more before unleashing a heavy downpour, accompanied by a loud crackle of thunder, and she closed her mouth to watch it all unravel.
Perhaps, the rain was sharing her thoughts tonight.
責
The next few days were still and silent, if only to give Lucy enough time to heal and return to her daily routine. Zeref had visited her once, bearing the face of a cold emperor at first. But eventually he wavered in her presence and apologized for his actions. She did the same, but none of their affections were shared as he kept a healthy distance away from her and immediately left. She hadn’t seen him since.
Irene had also visited her, offering her smug remarks as she did so. The blonde had nearly thrown her out. However, any wrath she held vanished as the redhead handed her a tiny vial with swirling black liquid that could grant her strength against the curse—only for a few times, she had warned cautiously. Any more and her body would grow immune to the potion and be rendered ineffective. Overdosing was a high risk. Twice a month was enough. Once every two weeks.
So Lucy spent her time reading and painstakingly exercising her limbs. In the early hours of the morning, she would get on her feet to walk a few steps away from the bed and walk back. She would bend her knees until they started to ache and roll her shoulders. In the afternoon, she had Brandish as company if the warrior wasn’t too busy with preparing for the war, but she was present most of the time. Seldom even bringing food with her that Lucy could actually enjoy eating.
She would be lying if she said that she was happy. She wasn’t, not in the least. Although she had to admit that staying in the palace was better than being cooped up in the inn all day, with Olivia being the only person that would’ve probably visited her. Apart from the bustling of servants and the barked orders, she didn’t entirely mind. Here, she had people she truly wished to be with.
Because despite not being happy, she knew there was hope. It was beyond her understanding what exactly that hope was, but there were… breakthroughs. Miniscule and insignificant as they were, the personal guards of the Emperor along with his best healers worked together to find a solution to their tragedy. A loophole, as they called it. Some other way to break his curse or at least render her immune from it.
On nights when she was too preoccupied with her thoughts for sleep, she wondered if they hated her, despised her. She was taking up too much of their time. Instead of training troops and planning for the war, they were mandated to find her a cure. Even though none of the Spriggan 12 expressed their opinions about it and seemed not to mind at all, she simply couldn’t help but think.
Couldn’t stop about wondering if she was becoming a burden to them all.
She was halfway into her little exercise when the door to her slightly smaller bedroom—one she had requested to be moved in after her first night in the previous room—opened for Zeref to appear behind it. He seemed to have realized that he had interrupted her brooding, standing in the hallway with his hands fisted at his sides.
A silent question if he could enter.
And she knew it was silly, to give her pendant a quick scan, but she had already done it before she could stop herself. With the barest dip of her chin, she let him in.
Zeref shut the door soundlessly, and for a moment, he didn’t move. He looked reluctant to.
But her eyes softened at the sight of him and she spread her arms out to welcome him. “You look tired, my dear emperor,” she hummed, smiling gently.
He was within her reach instantly. A shudder went through her as he rested his forehead in the crook of her neck, the previous stony ruler now reduced to a trembling mess, so similar to the lost boy she had once viewed him as back at Lucia.
She couldn’t help but laugh. “I missed you too,” she whispered against his hair, placing a soft kiss on the crown of his head.
He squeezed her for a last time and finally leaned back, vulnerable eyes gazing down at her. “How—how’s the medicine?” he asked hoarsely.
“It’s… doing its job,” Lucy answered carefully, swallowing. “How’s the war-planning?”
“Postponed.”
She stiffened. “What?”
He sat on the edge of the bed and clasped his fingers in the space between his knees. “Ishgar is the last thing on my mind right now,” he explained softly. “I’ve called out every good healer I know and I have exerted every means possible to help you—us.”
Lucy wanted to say something, but could only furrow her eyebrows. He understood her even still. “One thing that I regret the most in my four centuries of suffering,” he paused, face twisting with anguish, “is that I hadn’t done anything to stop Mavis from dying.”
She didn’t recoil at the mention of the dead girl’s name. She didn’t react at all.
“But that was how I learned of the curse’s contradiction. Despite her being an immortal, cursed by the same magic as I was, my love for her killed her.” Lucy counted the beats of her heart at the momentary hush. “So, forgive me, if I do not wish to repeat the same mistake. Forgive me, Lucy, if being with me has only caused you pain and sorrow.”
She opened her mouth to disagree, but realized a second later that he wasn’t going to hear any of it. She pressed her lips together instead and moved to sit beside him, tenderly gripping his fingers with her own.
He returned the action. “I’m scared, Lucy.”
“I know.”
He looked at her, eyes so wide she could see her reflection in them.
“I am, too.”
代
Lucy was flipping a page over when she heard shouting and running. Dropping the book slightly in her lap, she craned her neck over to the door and wondered what the commotion was about.
Her questions were answered as Zeref burst into her room, Brandish and Dimaria behind him. The two females looked torn—almost upset, whereas the Emperor appeared wild and ecstatic. Soon enough, Irene had joined the trio, stopping behind Brandish to peer into her room.
Lucy blinked. “What’s with the party?”
“We found a—solution,” Zeref gasped, trying to catch her eyes.
But she was focused on Dimaria, on the furious look on her face. “It’s a fool’s errand,” she gritted out. “No one should go through this!”
Brandish, unsurprisingly, offered no words and had simply given Lucy a look of sadness.
“It’s the only way,” Zeref snapped, glaring at his personal guard. “What do you suggest we do, then?”
Irene smiled slyly, her red lips glinting under the light. “I suggest we find another solution, your Majesty. This one is too… precarious, even for my liking.”
“What—what’s the solution?” Lucy breathed, and the four whipped their heads towards her, having just forgotten her for a moment.
It was Brandish this time that spoke. “August has found a way to somehow make this work. The solution is… out of this world.”
Irene’s smile widened. “Literally.”
Lucy wasn’t given time to speak as Dimaria intervened, “And I’m telling you this—if that could actually work, then why hasn’t he tried contacting Ankhseram in four hundred years?” Her voice was a near growl. “It’s not possible. And if worse comes to worse, he could take his Majesty himself!”
Realization dawned on Lucy as she took in the words and her breathing hitched, getting the attention of the four once more. Her forehead creased. “Correct me if I’m wrong… but are you saying that the solution that August-san has come up with is to talk with the god that had cursed Spriggan?”
Dimaria snarled, “It’s more than just talking.”
“Bargain,” Lucy breathed, and the fierce warrior stilled. The entire room stilled. “You want to bargain with Ankhseram—for me.”
The redhead behind them inclined her head ever so slightly, mirth dancing in her hazel eyes. “That is right, girl,” she drawled. “But do not flatter yourself. We are doing this for his Majesty and no one else.”
“Irene,” Zeref warned.
But Lucy didn’t so much as flinch at the harsh truth. “Then I have a request, if we’re planning to go along to this solution.”
“We’re not,” Dimaria hissed.
Brandish flicked her eyes to the blonde warrior, laying a hand on her elbow in a silent plea to stay out of it. However, Dimaria slapped her hand away and remained seething, watching with blazing eyes at what would happen.
Zeref held Lucy’s gaze, his eyes warming at the sight of her looking so healthy at last. “What is it, Lucy?” he asked quietly.
She didn’t look away from him as she once again counted the beats of her heart at the silence, at the anticipation of her bizarre request.
Fifteen beats.
“Let me be the one to bargain with Ankhseram.” Another beat. “I will talk to him.”
Zeref was about to argue with her, skin as white as fresh parchment, but Irene gripped his shoulder and held him back.
The redhead's smile was serpentine. "Very well then."
There are four kanjis in this part.
接 - contact or touch
病 - ill (sick)
責 - burden
代 - substitute or exchange—a lot of meaning is packed in this small kanji
Since FT's latest chapter left my plans for this story to be as realistic as possible a failure, I am going to make use of it and divert it from the FTverse entirely. Not sure how others would react to this, but I've decided that that's the better option anyway. Because Zeref should be dead long ago, if I wish to remain true to the Canon story. Anyway, people may wonder, why hasn't he tried talking to Ankhseram indeed? Because no one deemed it possible, but August, who is the void himself, from the joining of Mavis and Zeref, can. And why care now? Because he sees his father caring for someone, genuinely, and dying because of it. I think that's a good enough reason.
I almost forgot, by the way, that Zeref is Spriggan to them. So I had to fix my mistakes and made Lucy call him as Spriggan. Some other details, like her spirits. Where are they? Oh, they are there. They're just... unneeded, at the moment. As wrong as that sounds, but Lucy doesn't have much of a reason to use them lately. But she will, don't worry. Hmm... there are perhaps many questions I would like to tackle, but you may ask them away and I will reply :)
Oh, I am so worried that you didn't like this chapter!
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Sorry to bother but I'd love to hear your indepth thoughts about zeus/percy! Like you think it wouldn't work but it does
Never a bother bestie 💕 Imma give you a multilayered response and offer up several ideas to you anon my beloved
First of all: HOT 🥵
Yall can say what you will and be in denial but we all know Zeus got mad dick game. Dude gotta be hung as hell and knows how to use every inch 😩💦 Percy would probs hate it but also go stupid for it and would never recover. Percy getting dick down so good he can help but come back for more is sooo good #mindbreak #slutification
But also imagine Percy serving absolute cunt and wrapping Zeus around his finger. Perussy so good it got the King of the Gods simping. Zeus starts being a good ruler just to get a crumb of the coochie. That is the power Percy Jackson holds #Icon #WorkDiva
As for like a serious relationship…
Okay let me explain, when I say Percy would find good fathers hot as hell i truly mean that. Like i am of the opinion that if a deadbeat dad tried to roll up on Percy, he would not even entertain the idea. Especially an olympian, yall get what im saying? Fucking around is one thing however anything more than that is another
Doublely so for Zeus. Like a good chunk of the bullshit Percy has been through is bc Zeus was being Bitch. So I feel like if you want them to be in an actual relationship beyond just pure fucking then its zercy slow burn Zeus redemption arc time babey which yk im actually vibing with. Zeus can be a complex and nuanced character that can have more going on under the surface. that could actually pop off. love that 💕
To you Anon i offer a list of Zercy ideas:
Zeus wants Percy and the king always gets what he wants. Maybe its like a Hades/Persephone situation yk? Percy might eventually grow to care for Zeus…or not, you can get real fucked up with this
Zeus actually coming to respect Percy as a warrior/leader and admire how he can stand up against him so he tries to court Percy. Yo what if Aphrodite gets involved and is like “But Mighty Zeus youre the king of the gods and greatest man alive surely you could make Percy fall for you properly” and that sets everything in motion
And of course Percy’s gorilla grip coochie got the Zeus acting unwise 😵💫
