#2 "Hey, hey, calm down. They can't hurt you anymore." can this be with jaeha about his village?
Sure thing anon! I totally see Jae-ha is haunted by nightmares of his village
It was dark, cold. Like most nights in the Ryokuryuu Village. There was a riot outside and the sounds of drunks as one threw a half drunken bottle through the window of Garou's hut, shattering the glass that fell to the cold stone floor. "Just die and rid us of this curse you monsters!"
10 year old Jae-ha winced at the shards of glass that hit his dragon leg, one getting caught in the scales he had to yank out, crimson blood spilling onto the floor as he had to rip at his pant leg to tie the cloth around it to stop the bleeding. He was so preoccupied with that he didn't notice the former Ryokuryuu come over and grab the boy's head, beating it against the wall.
"You hear that brat? They're talking about you." Garou hissed.
"… I'm pretty sure the one that's three feet into the grave is you and they're telling you that you're past your expiration date." Jae-ha spat back at him, shaking as he knew the former Ryokuryuu was drunk as he could smell the alcohol off his breath. That usually meant Jae-ha was going to get a beating no matter what he said, so it gave him some satisfaction spitting venom back at him.
That was a mistake though, as Garou kicked him in the stomach with his dragon leg, then again in the head as the boy lay limp on the floor hoping that was enough. "Little brat. The only reason I don't beat that head of yours in is because another one would take your place shortly after, not like it would stop you sucking the life out of me." He grabbed the half empty bottle off the floor that was cracked, drinking the liquid before it escaped the holes in the bottle. "You're young, you can go without a meal or two and they were short of rations today so." He boasted, having already eaten Jae-ha's share of the meal which he often did especially when he was in a bad mood.
Jae-ha crawled into a ball, trying to hid the tears that glistened in his eyes. He hated this hellhole so much, clutching to the strange dirty cloak that had appeared one night but gave him a bit of warmth on cold days like this. He so wanted this hell to end, clinging to the hope that one day Garou would finally die and couldn't chase after him when he'd break his chains, but he often worried if that day would ever come or if Garou would finally just hit him the wrong way one day and kill him? The pain in his head throbbing as he looked at the glass shard in his hand, then at the part of his exposed wrist from the chains around his arms… Seeing a possible way out and an impulse that was just too strong, he went for it but then he heard a voice calling for him from the darkness.
"Ha…. Jae-ha….?"
Her voice and warm hand on his cheek brought him out of the dream as he sucked in a breath, feeling like the wind just got punched out of him. Jae-ha's eyes searched the darkness of the tent as they tried to focus, sweat dripping down his forehead from the terror of reliving his past. His eyes glanced at his wrist, being held in the hands of his gorgeous redheaded wife, the scarred tissue reminding him that night was one of many he tried to end his suffering, that had he succeeded he never would have met…
The crying of their merely weeks old baby girl was heard as Yona left him for a moment to grab Lina, cooing and trying to get her to settle down. "It's ok Lina, daddy just had a bad dream he didn't mean to wake you." She then settled next to her husband and frowned. "Are you ok Jae-ha? You were screaming and…"
It took far too long for Jae-ha to find his voice as he merely hugged his wife and child first, thankful to have them in his life as he shut his eyes to hide the tears creeping up. "… I'm fine…. It was…. Just a dream, Yona dear."
Yona pulled back, caressing his cheek. "Hey, calm down… They can't hurt you anymore." She whispered, looking into his eyes. "And they can't hurt Lina either, I won't let them get either of you. Ever."
Jae-ha smiled at that, kissing her with all his love as he couldn't hold back anymore, the tears flowing down his cheeks thankful to have his loving family at his side. "I know… They'll never get my precious treasure and she'll never know of that awful village. With luck when she has her children she'll pass on the dragon's blood and I'll be the last one to ever have gone through that, breaking that damn curse. I wouldn't wish that one anyone Yona dear." He hugged her tightly, then reached one hand to play with his daughter's dragon leg as she squealed and grabbed his finger.
Yona smiled at that, stroking his cheek. "Talk to me. It's alright husband things like that don't go away easily. You never liked to talk about your village and I understand why…" she shivered, their encounter with the Ryokuryuu Village recently still fresh in her mind. "But keeping it in isn't good for you, let me help you."
"You already are my dear." Jae-ha hummed, nuzzling his face into her hair to hide his tears. "It's alright, it just happens once in a while. It's not something I like to dwell on, I can't change what happened and I'm just grateful I have my two precious girls in my life now."
Yona sighed, knowing her husband was stubborn about talking over his trauma, she brushed her fingers over the scars on his wrist that he hid very well from the others but she was able to catch sight of since he was comfortable enough around his wife to let her see that and his dragon leg, but only her as when he bathed with the others he was always quick to hide either. She brought his hand to his lips where she kissed his wrist, looking into his eyes full of love. "Partners in life remember? Let me help you for a change."
"Well I'd take you up on that love but Val said to give you six weeks to recover from having little Lina…" Jae-ha purred, trying to change the subject of course.
"Not THAT!" Yona smacked his chest for that joke, blushing bright red. "Gah must you always be a pervert?!"
"You married me love, you should know this by now." Jae-ha snickered, tickling her sides to make her laugh.
"Jae-ha!" Yona squirmed, trying hard to hold onto Lina as he tickled her, the baby giggling at their parents acting so silly.
Jae-ha took the chance to catch his wife's lips in a deep kiss, though it was desperate and as if he needed that reminder of her love and strength to get a hold of himself. His hands were slightly trembling from the dream as he took their child and held her in his arms. Parting lips with Yona, he turned to their daughter and rocked her gently. "My little treasure, nobody is ever going to harm you or take you away from us. You're going to be the most happy and beautiful Ryokuryuu there ever was." He kissed the top of the babe's head, who squealed at the attention from her father.
Yona smiled sadly at that, knowing how Jae-ha spoke of never meeting his parents and how he was taken away from them. And recently meeting Raiden, Hak's father from the village they found out what happened to Jae-ha's parents and how badly they truly did want him, even though Garou told him his whole life they abandoned him… She knew that news had to be heartbreaking to find out and of course he just put on a brave face and not admit how much that bothered him… Especially when Raiden told Yona what happened to Jubei, Jae-ha's father and Ayumi, Jae-ha and Hak's mother. She already knew what it was like growing up without her mother around most of her life but at least she had loving parents, it made her heart ache knowing her husband never had that but at least he could give that to their daughter, as he was a natural with her. There was a strange sense of dejavu Yona had with seeing Jae-ha and their daughter, and Zeno often joked they looked just like Hiryuu's wife Jin-ae and their son Yak-shi.
Yona shifted and caressed his face, kissing his cheek as she smiled at him. "Between us and her protective uncles she'll be safe no matter what husband… I promise." She nuzzled her head against his shoulder as she tickled their baby a bit with one hand.
"Of course." Jae-ha smiled, kissing her hair as he spared one arm to hug her close. "You're both the most precious things in my life and I'll do anything to hold you both dear. The princess of my heart and my precious little treasure. I love you both." He kissed the top of Lina's head and went back to kissing his wife, thankful the nightmares of his past were behind him and he could forge new, happy memories with his family together.
