Natsu had his fair share of pride, but he knew that to get what he wanted he would have to cast it away. In the past he would have been reluctant. But now he had no fear of begging. He'd get down on his knees if he had to. He'd kiss the very ground Zeref walked on if only it would convince his brother to fix Aquarius's broken key. Whatever Zeref wanted from him, he'd do it if it could save Lucy's life.
But with Zeref things were never that simple.
Everything Zeref did was to further his own goals, and his own goals mainly consisted of three things: making himself more powerful, furthering his influence of fear over Earthland, and leaving a trail of destruction and terror in his wake as he did so. Natsu often wondered where about in his brothers long life had he decided to devote his time to cutting short others, but the details of it all didn't matter much. What Natsu wanted did not coincide with what Zeref wanted, and so it was unlikely he'd get it.
Natsu could ask or he could demand, but either way he suspected the outcome. The futility of it all weighed heavy on his shoulders as he made his way to his brothers study.
"Enter." Zeref called when he knocked at the door.
Natsu entered the room, letting the old wooden doors fall shut behind him. His brother didn't bother to look up from his papers. It was a tactic, Natsu knew, to make people anxious. Nerves grew the more you waited. But Natsu did not let his brother's silence affect him. He stood close to the desk, glancing at the papers Zeref was rifling though. There were in a language Natsu couldn't decipher. One he had never gotten the chance to learn.
Draconian script.
"Ah, Natsu," Zeref chimed as if he hadn't known it had been him all along, ignoring Natsu's frown, "I trust you dealt with our deserters in Hargeon?"
"All of our former soldiers are either dead or too terrified to do anything but cry for their long dead mothers." Natsu confirmed, painting a hopeless picture that he knew his brother would enjoy.
"Excellent." Zeref smiled widely as he leaned back in his chair, "Just the way I like my enemies to be."
It was a struggle for Natsu not to roll his eyes. Sometimes it was if Zeref took inspiration for himself straight out of children's books. Perhaps it was difficult to see his motives, but Natsu swore that sometimes Zeref was evil purely for the sake of it. Pain for pains sake. If it didn't cause someone harm, where was the fun in it?
"Fairy Tail had done most of the work by the time I got there," Natsu informed him, "My presence wasn't really needed."
"But it was appreciated, I'm sure." Zeref smiled.
It was impossible- there was no way he could have planned it- but from the way that Zeref looked at him, Natsu felt sure that it hadn't been the turn-coats his brother had wanted him to see. He had wanted him to see Lucy. To remind him that everything he fought for would soon be cold and lifeless.
But… no. How could he know? Natsu had figured his brother was likely to deduce that Lucy was- his mind stuttered over the word- dying, but even if he suspected her light was failing her, how could he know the true extent of it? She still bore the mark of Fairy Tail; she was still protected from Zeref's prying eyes. There was no way he could have known just how much the darkness was effecting her.
And yet, Natsu had caught that smug glint in his brother's eyes…
"Speaking of Fairy Tail," Natsu forced himself to focus, "I've thought of a wedding gift you could provide."
"I told you Natsu, your wedding gift is being prepared." Zeref tutted.
The reminder of the ominous gift sent chills down Natsu's spine.
