Gehenna's Gate

No Loss No Love

"Vena?" The girl sounded like she'd been crying, voice hoarse with overuse as she stood to her shaky feet.

Kazuha was stood beside her, looking both distraught and lost, his eyes seeming so absent as his gaze remained on the floor beneath his feet.

"Why... why are you here?" Vena's mouth had dried out considerably, a subtle cold sweat clinging to her skin as she too a few steps forward, praying the feeling deep in her gut was wrong.

Silently, the raven-haired woman simply smiled, yet it was lined with sadness, pale blue eyes red and puffy as she simply gazed on at her old friend.

"Kaz, what's going on?" Xiao piped up, obviously a bit confused as well.

Normal humans weren't supposed to be allowed back here under any circumstances.

Kazuha finally lifted his head, eyes glossy as he met his best friend's gaze.

"She's a hybrid too." The man's voice broke, his head immediately falling again, fighting off tears.

The entire room fell silent, nothing but the sound of a racing heart in Vena's ears as she stared absentmindedly at her feet.

Jenna was a longtime friend of both Vena and Kazuha, someone they'd met online playing games and who happened to live about an hour from here. Kazuha had developed a crush on her over the years they'd known each other, and recently had admitted his feelings. Apparently the two had started dating, and she must be the girl he'd referred to as his girlfriend earlier.

With controlled movements, the girl came to stand in front of Vena, turning just enough that when she pulled at the collar of her shirt, Vena could see the very same mark she had on Jenna's shoulder, confirming her worst fears.

At this, Vena turned, hands covering her face in a mixture of disbelief and frustration.

"I told her everything." Kaz finally was able to speak again, voice still shaky, yet it didn't break.

It was bad enough Vena was a target, but now a longtime friend and Kazuha's lover? What were the odds? And why? How intertwined was their world with the human one?

"Ei knows?" Scara spoke for the first time, yet his tone was relatively calm and flat, almost like earlier when he'd needed to appear professional.

Vena half wondered if he felt bad for Kazuha.

Kaz simply gave a nod of his head in response.

What was anyone supposed to say at this point? Nothing felt right. Promising to protect her didn't because it was something no one could truly guarantee. What could possibly be comforting at a time like this?

How could this just be getting worse and worse with each passing day?

Wordlessly, Vena bridged the gap between her and Jenna, simply wrapping her arms around the girl's neck in a hug, the other almost immediately doing the same as they held each other tightly.

Words were lost on everyone, it seemed. Jenna sniffled in her friend's embrace, obviously scared and overwhelmed, her body shaking a bit.

All Vena could do was hold her, hoping it would provide any form of comfort at all.

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"How is she?" Vena made sure to keep her voice low, meeting Kazuha in the doorway of one of the spare rooms, Jenna's sleeping form laying bundled up in blankets on a bed behind him.

Kazuha leaned his body on the door frame, an exhausted sigh escaping his lips as he thought for a moment.

Obviously this had taken a big toll on both of them.