"It's… All my fault." Yona choked, she had been crying for days now. Her wounds were still being treated and her throat had just recovered from a burn, but the wounds in her heart were still fresh and bleeding. Finding out the new that Kuelbo had murdered Hak on the battlefield was too much for her to handle, her entire world fell apart for the second time in her lifetime. And all she could think of was why, oh why didn't she tell him when she had the chance? Why wasn't she more careful? Why didn't she insist on going with Hak for those discussions?! So many things she questioned.
"Yona dear, don't do this to yourself." Jae-ha whispered, brushing a hand through her hair. They were in the medical tent together recovering, since they had the worst wounds of the group. Yoon would come by and check on them from time to time inbetween treating the fire tribe soldiers. "If anyone should be blamed it's me for being careless and getting us captured when-"
Yona shook her head. "No… I chose to go, I put us in that situation… Oh Jae-ha! I never told Hak…" she sobbed. "I never told him that I loved him… Why didn't I say when I could? I couldn't find the words and…" she buried her head into the Green Dragon's chest. "He'll never know I… How precious he was to me…"
Jae-ha frowned, caressing her hair slowly as his heart bled for the redhead in his arms. It didn't matter he loved her himself, he wanted her and Hak to have a beautiful future together. He was happy to see Hak confessed to her and he was pushing her to realize her own feelings and hoping she'd confess in return. But now with Hak gone, her happiness was ripped apart and all he wanted was to put a smile on her face again… But he had no idea how. "… I'm sure… Hak had an idea." He said softly. "He knew you didn't want him hurt and wanted to protect him… I'm sure he's watching us from the skies above now, bitching at me that from now on I need to do a better job of taking care of you since he can't scold me anymore if I start slipping. I'm sure he would be happy that you're safe and want you to continue on with your journey. He wouldn't want you to blame yourself, I'm sure of it."
Yona sobbed again, hugging onto the Ryokuryuu tightly. "Why can't I protect the people that I love? I went on this journey to find the help of you and the other dragons so Hak wouldn't die… And he died anyway…" she choked. "Had I known I would have… No I should have let him go back in the Wind Tribe… At least then he'd still be here…"
Jae-ha frowned at that, pulling her back and brushing her tears away from her face. "I doubt Hak could have stayed away from you for long, Yona dear. Remember how he insisted he'd stick close to you? You were too important to him. Just as you are to all us." He sighed. "I should have kicked in that bastard's head sooner and broke you out before… Just I was afraid for Yoon and Zeno…"
Yona shook her head. "… No… Jae-ha don't… This is my burden…"
"If you're to blame than so am I." Jae-ha whispered, pressing his head against hers. "We lost a precious member of our family. Throwing around blame isn't going to help anyone. We can play what if all day but it doesn't change the fact they're no longer with us…" at this point, Jae-ha was crying himself, tears floating down his cheeks just thinking about it. "I promised you I'll be your legs until you no longer need me, so from now on I'll keep Hak's promise of staying be your side always. Me, Kija, Shin-ah, Zeno and Yoon will follow you to the ends of the world if we must, but we refuse to leave your side."
Yona whaled, she threw her head back into the green haired man's chest and cried on until sleep took her again. The pain was not going to leave anytime soon and she may never forgive herself… But at least this time she has a family to help hold her up in her time of grief. It would take a long time, but she would make it through this with their help. One day maybe she'd see Hak again, in the skies above.