Zeref sighed. He knew where this was going. He had been living here for all of this time, after all, and while Erza and Mirajane may or may not like having him here, they'd clearly accepted it as being their First Master's decision, and that it made her happy to have him here. "Even if I wanted to, Mavis, no guild would have me. It would ruin their reputation at best, and at worse would have the Magic Council declare them a Dark Guild for harboring the Black Wizard." And he'd never join a Dark Guild. Grimoire Heart were scum, and Tartaros may have been acting as his pawns, but he would never actually want to join them directly.

"Besides. What Fairy Tail has... the camaraderie, the family-like atmosphere. That was never meant for me." He leaned in to kiss her cheek again, his hand closing around hers. "This is the most I could have ever asked for."