Protection: A Fairy Tail Fanfiction

Chapter Ten: Confrontation

  "If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy." - James Madison

CHAPTER X: Confrontation

ZEREF stared at the pants.

"You put them on." Happy supplied helpfully.

He narrowed his eyes at the flying blue cat (exceed), tempted to throw the clothing at his large head. He knew what they were for; he just didn't understand why he would have to wear them. Happy munched on a silver fish.

"Are you always like this?" he wondered out loud, wishing he knew where Natsu was. Happy's fish stunk. Happy nodded with a wide smile.

"Pretty much, basically. Yeah."

He rolled his eyes and ran his fingers over the shirt. It was short sleeved—similar to the t-shirts some westerners were so fond of, except that it had a collar on it. Or sleeves. And it wasn't even fifty degrees outside.

"Does he think I like being freezing cold?" He mumbled, frowning at the shirt. That rotten cat snickered.

"You walk around in bed linens on a daily basis."

He wrinkled his nose at him. "They're warm bed linens though." He shook the shirt out and draped it over his shoulder. "Do you know if he keeps any coats or something?"

"He has the one Gray left. I think he's wearing the one Lushee bought him."

"Why would he...?" He shook his head, deciding that he really didn't want to know why Gray had left his coat here. He assumed it had something to do with his stripping problem. (Though he had no idea why he would come over here in the first place... unless it was to goad Natsu. Actually, that made sense.) "Never mind. Thanks Happy."

Swiftly, he stepped into the bathroom (which was surprisingly clean) and pulled the toga over his head. He caught the scars on his back and arms reflected back at him, and nearly flinched from the reminder. There were so many things he'd done wrong... so many things he would never be able to right. He may have been forgiven for what he'd done, but there were still consequences... He doubted any of them would fully trust him, not even Natsu.

Then again, he didn't trust himself.

Get your head out of the clouds, Zeref. He scolded himself with a shake of his head. You have to pay attention to what's going on today, and not. slip. up. Otherwise you'll condemn Fairy Tail as well.

After he slid into the shirt and the pants, he took a deep breath and looked at himself in the mirror. Black hair and piercing brown eyes stared back at him. The reflection reached up and touched his cheek when he raised his hand and touched his own cheek. Sometimes, it amazed he still looked human. There was nothing there that would tell someone of the monster hidden within him... Nothing at all.

He turned the facet on, letting the cool water run over his hands. It didn't turn red. He breathed in deeply and closed his eyes, bent over the sink and splashed it over his face. The cold woke him up, and he shivered. He dried his face off with the toga before he grabbed the coat and walked out the door.

"Finally!" Happy complained. "You take even longer than Lucy."

He hid a smile behind his hand. "I wasn't that long."

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Zeref stepped into the guild, the normal chatter caressing his ears. Mavis smiled at him before she focused entirely on Makarov, her eyes serious. Serious, but cheerful. She was quite cheerful, wasn't she?