Anime: Fairy Tail
Requested by: @IdolLoversYola
(A/N): Hey, I don't really know much about Zeref but I do hope this meets your expectations :)

(Y/n)'s POV

An incredibly strong force of wind clawed at my hair and whipped at my face as I struggled to get to shore, coughing up the saltwater that had made its way down my throat.

Turning onto my back, I breathed deep gulps of air into my lungs and closed my eyes. The weak sunlight did nothing to warm my freezing body as I felt sleep slowly overtake me.

No...I couldn't fall asleep now. Shelter and warmth, I desperately needed that right now. Once again getting on my trembling legs, I limped to the edge of the forest.

Clutching a low tree branch, I forced myself to stand upright. Exhaustion had stolen the life out of my body, blood seeping through the wound on my leg.

Water clung to my body like glue, attracting the coolness of the air. A sudden ruffle in the leaves and the sound of animals scurrying away. Gathering all my energy, I turned to see a black-haired man in the distance.

He stared at my pitiful state, not saying a word. I gasped as the plants around him turned dark, reminiscent of death and evil omens. He had stayed far enough away so that I wouldn't be affected by his dark magic.

"W-who are you?"
"...Zeref."
"Do you...live here? On this island?"
"Yes."
"Do you mind if I stay over for the night? I promise I'll pay you back. The one thing that didn't wash away with my luggage was my money. I can-"
"Leave, you can't be here."
"W-wait! At least tell me why!"
"Because...I'm dangerous."
"I've heard about you from others, like your alias 'the Black Wizard', but you're not harming me right now, so just-"
"Stay away!"

I edged closer, only tempting him to move back as I slowly advanced. Once he was by the water's edge, I took this chance to get within his range of 'death'. Stumbling to my knees, I looked up only to see sadness and pain reflected in his dark eyes.

Smiling, I held up my hands. His magic couldn't affect me, not now and not ever. I stood up, putting most of my weight on my non-injured leg.

"I'm immune to most magic and all diseases and illnesses. Of course, physical attacks can still hurt me and unfortunately, I can't heal myself nor my stamina, I can only heal others."
"I...can't believe it..." he exclaimed quietly.
"See? You can't hurt me so please..."

Collapsing once again, I only widened my eyes in surprise as Zeref hurried forward and caught me in his arms.

"You're warm..." he whispered, "You're so warm..."
"*laughs* I'm actually freezing to death right now."
"Shall we get your wound treated then?"
"Yes, thank you."

Much to my surprise, he lifted me up into his arms, giving me no time to argue with him as he headed towards the forest. Finding myself relaxing in his gentle hold, I let my head rest on his chest.

The slow, rhythmic beating of his heart slowly lulled my worrying mind into a deep, dreamless sleep. The last sight I caught a glimpse of was the smallest of smiles on the dark mage's face.

Zeref's POV

The girl fell asleep, her breathing slow and steady yet a hint of strain was apparent on her face. Laying her down on the ground, I ripped the material off her leg and frowned.

The wound had already gotten infected. Clicking my fingers, a small, black fire ignited and levitated beside the girl as I left to gather medicinal herbs.

Hurriedly picking the herbs from nearby plants and other areas, I ground them into a soft paste. After cleaning her wound, I applied the medicinal paste before ripping a little of my cloak to act as a bandage.

Leaning back on my arms, I stared at the sky and wondered what had brought this girl to this particularly island in which I was residing. Was it a mere coincidence that my dark magic had no effect on her? Or was it fate that brought her to me?

Whichever it was, I was grateful. She was the first human being I had come across in a very long time, making me realise just how much I longed for warmth and company...

~The next day~

The girl woke up, rubbing her eyes and yawning in an adorable manner. I waited for her to come back to her senses but she seemed perfectly at ease despite being stranded on an island with who all considered to be the 'most evil mage of all time'.

"Thank you for treating my wound..." she started.
"You're welcome."
"I guess I should introduce myself. My name's (Y/n) (L/n), a support mage although I do know some dark arts for attack. I don't use it much because it's hard to control."
"I see..."
"Oh, I need to repay you-"
"Your company is enough."

I simply looked at the ground as we sat in silence, her eyes curiously looking over at me. She reached out her hand, making me move back out of instinct.

Pouting, she reached forward again and picked a leaf out of my hair. Smiling cheekily as I blushed slightly in embarrassment, I once again avoided contact with her.

"Aren't you curious about how I ended up here?" she asked.
"I guess?"
"*sigh* You really don't know how to interact with people, do you? Well, since I have nothing better to do, let me tell you my story."

She cleared her throat before beginning.

"You see, I'm a part of a guild named Fairy Tail. My teammates and I took on a quest to defeat some sea monsters. It was going fine at first but a sudden storm destroyed our ship and I guess that's how I injured myself. I was unconscious for some time but when I came to, I was resting on a floating piece of wood."
"Was nobody there with you?"
"No, there was no one. I shouted and used my attack magic to send signals but nobody came. That's when I saw this island and swam all the way here."

I nodded in understanding as a simple reply. She suddenly rest her back against mine as we leaned against each other. Instinctively tensing, I suddenly felt her move until she was beside me, leaning her head against my shoulder.

"That's better. You're too stiff but there are no pillows here," she exclaimed.
"Aren't you scared?"
"Of what?"
"Me."
"I guess people called you dangerous because of your magic but to me, you just seem like a calm yet lonely boy with no one to rely on."
"That's..."
"True, right? But don't worry, I'll keep you company for the time being so don't look so sad all the time, okay?"

I stared at her as she flashed a kind smile. I smiled, undoubtedly catching her off guard but she simply took it as a positive sign. I laughed as she clasped our hands together and vowed to make me experience happiness.

"Thank you, (Y/n)."