"He beats me because..." Asami paused to inhale deeply. "Because I got my mother killed. Her death was all my fault."
Korra's eyebrows clenched and her eyes widened. She gave Lyla a worried look that she returned. Asami recognized the looks immediately- they thought Asami lost it.
"Asami..." Korra started.
"It's true." She insisted. "If it weren't for me, she would still be alive!"
"If that was true, you'd be in prison," her roommate spoke too.
"You don't understand," Asami said in frustration, shaking her head while burying it in her palms, "you don't understand..."
Korra stepped towards her, placing both hands on her shoulders and sitting her down. "Alright," she said, still holding her, "you want to tell me why you blame yourself for that?"
"Why it's my fault," Asami bitterly corrected.
"Asami..."
"I'm not crazy!" She snapped. "It's true! It's really what happened!"
"Sweetheart..." Korra sounded a bit hopeless. "Okay, tell me all about it."
Asami gulped audibly. She lowered her hands away from her face and placed them on her lap, watching them fidgeting nervously. "It's my fault..." she said in a small voice.
"Why?" Korra asked, her tone soft and compassionate.
"Because..." the words got stuck in her throat and she squinted her eyes shut. "When I was six and had my first day of school... my mom was supposed to pick me up from school... that's when she..." she stopped herself there, taking a deep breath as tears streamed out of her eyes. "She got into a car accident because of me, it's all my fault."
Silence lingered between the three, and Asami knew exactly why. Because Korra just realized she was dating a girl who killed her mother.
But then, Korra hugged her.
"You never told me this," she said quietly, "any of it."
"I was ashamed," Asami admitted.
"Of what?" Lyla said in disbelief. "Asami you can't truly believe this is your fault!"
"What?" Asami raised her head to look at Lyla. "Didn't you hear? Of course it's my fault!"
"No, it's not," Korra said, stroking Asami's hair, "did he tell you that it is?"
"He's right." Asami said miserably. "I thought he was wrong but he was right. I could've taken a bus-"
"You were six!" Lyla exclaimed.
"And even if you weren't, you still couldn't have known," Korra added, "she was in a car accident, those happen. It sucks, but they happen. I get why you feel guilty, because after losing someone everyone feels guilty, it's not the same thing at all but I know I did." Korra said with a weak smile. "But your dad blaming you for it is completely unjustified, and it's probably just him covering his own damn ass."
"You lost someone?" Lyla asked in confusion. "Who?"
For a moment, Korra looked away. Then turned back to face Asami, not bothering to look back while she answered her ex.
"Losing someone, doesn't necessarily mean they're dead." She said bitterly, and she didn't have to add anything else for Lyla to understand who she was referring too.
Asami sniffled, trying to ignore their interaction. "What do you mean covering his own ass?" She asked.
"He probably felt just as guilty, not that I'm excusing it," she quickly added, "but guilty. Guilty because he could've come to pick you up himself, because he probably designed the car that couldn't keep his wife safe, because he was probably a terrible fucking husband. That's why he beats you."
"What?" Lyla asked in confusion. "No it's not. It has nothing to do with your mother's death."
"Yes, it is," Asami replied.
"Asami, he used to beat you before the accident, you do know that right?" Lyla said, looking at Asami like she just dropped out of the sky.
"What? No, of course he didn't." Asami shook her head. "I think I'd remember if he did."
"Not necessarily," Korra said, standing up and crossing her arms while looking at Lyla, "but what makes you think that?"
Lyla looked even more confused. "Because -"
But she didn't get to finish her sentence, because suddenly someone barged in, making Asami jump backwards. Only relaxing when she recognized Bolin's face.
"Korra! You're here too! I thought you didn't go to college?" He asked, confused.
"I thought you were still in highschool," she shot back.
"Fair point," he agreed.
"Jesus Bolin! You scared the living shit out of me!" Asami exclaimed, breathing heavily. "How did you even get here?!"
"Sorry," he flashed her with an apologetic smile, "I was visiting Mako, he's outside in our car. We were just coming to get you."
"Get me? What do you mean get me?" She narrowed her eyes. "I am not leaving campus! It's dangerous out there!"
"Wait, that's why you didn't wanna leave it this morning?" Korra asked, dropping her arms to the side and sounding somewhat hurt. "I told you I'll keep you safe."
"Doesn't mean I'm not scared," Asami mumbled.
"Asami, you gotta come with us," Bolin insisted, "haven't you heard? They're holding a protest outside of Future Industries, Opal and Jinora are coming too!"
"They're doing what?" Asami jumped on her feet. "What the fuck is wrong with people?"
"Wrong?" Bolin blinked. "We're fighting for what's right, for you!"
"I didn't ask for this, I don't want this." She shook her head. "God how did everything go so wrong..?"
"People are looking out for you, that's it." Bolin defended. "You know how high the rates of violence against women are? You're an example of-"
"I'm not an example of anything!" Asami exasperated for what felt like the millionth time today. "You people see what you want to see! This has nothing to do with sexism-"
"Yes, it does," Lyla interjected.
"You think you know better than me?" Asami called out in disbelief.
"No, but you're missing a very, very main and important fact." Lyla said seriously.
"You little-"
"We talked about this in law class," she didn't pay any attention to Asami's outburst, "my professor found some old article on the matter. Asami, your mother launched a complaint about domestic abuse years ago."
Everyone in the room was silent, shocked looking. Except for Asami, because she knew what Lyla was saying was nonsense. She knew why her dad beat her- because she was responsible for her mother's death, not to mention he only became an alcoholic after it. Did Lyla seriously think she was fooling anyone?
"What the fuck are you talking about?" Asami snorted. "That's impossible."
"You know what? Wait a second, I'll find the article," Lyla said, opening her phone.
"You won't find an article, cause there aren't any." Asami said behind grit teeth. "You don't know anything about me, or my dad. But I know all about you."
That had gotten her attention, and she raised her head. "The fuck are you talking about?" She asked.
"Asami," Korra warned.
"You think Korra didn't tell me?" Asami chuckled, somewhat bitterly. "You think she didn't tell me all about her toxic, ungrateful ex-girlfriend?"
Bolin blinked. "What's going on here?"
Lyla clenched her jaw. "This is between me and her, and I already apologized. You know shit."
"I know everything," Asami retorted.
"If you knew what you were talking about, you wouldn't have said this."
"I know what happened between you two," Asami continued on, "I know how you'd take out your frustrations on Korra, how much you made her feel like shit, like she was worthless. I know you broke her damn heart, and I know that those commitment and trust issues we had to suffer through together are all your fault."
"That doesn't even cover half the story!" Lyla exclaimed.
"For your sake, I withdrew some information." Asami crossed her arms.
"Girls..." Korra tried stopping it again, sounding helpless.
"You are really something aren't you?" Lyla said with her eyes narrowed. "You think you know and understand everything, just because your girlfriend got hurt. Well guess what? I was also hurt, I was also heartbroken, and trust me that Korra isn't the only one who suffered in this relationship."
"Because of you!" Asami called out. "Because you were the one sabotaging your relationship, you're the one who ruined it! And now she's with me, and she knows what a truly loving, healthy relationship is. And she doesn't have to suffer through the emotional trauma that you gave her because you couldn't handle loving a woman!"
"You think you got it all figured out?" Lyla snapped. "You know about my homophobic parents? You know how much shit they gave me when they found out Korra and I were dating? How miserable I was?" Her tone was harsher now, and everything she said caught both Asami and Korra by surprise. "You know that I was raised to believe gay people are gross? And I had to grow out of this belief on my own? You know that my parents fucking disowned me when I came out as bi last year? No! So don't you dare talk to me like you know what I was going through!"
Asami was immediately silenced, because no, she didn't know about it, and it did sound like it sucked. And now Lyla was crying, so she also felt like shit for basically calling out Lyla on her bullshit without getting to know the full story and making the other girl cry.
"You never told me this," Korra said quietly.
"Yeah, well," Lyla shrugged, "you were the one good thing I had left. I was so afraid of fucking it up that I ended up fucking it up royaly."
"All this damn time?" Korra asked, confused. "I thought what fucked up our relationship is you being straight, now you're telling me it was your fucking parents?"
"That, internalized homophobia, you get your pick," she sniffled, "I'll never excuse any of it, and I know I was being a bitch. But I'm not a terrible person. I'm not."
"I..." Asami was at a loss of words. "I don't know what to say."
"Sorry would be a good start." Lyla rolled her eyes, then gave Asami the phone. "Especially after lashing out on a person who was just trying to help you."
Asami took the phone, reading through the article open on it. Soon enough, her eyes widened in shock, as she started to re-read it.
"This is impossible." She said. "My lawyer would have brought it up on the trial."
"He probably missed it," Lyla answered flatly, "this complaint didn't last very long, I'm guessing your dad threatened your mother until she dropped it."
"No," Asami shook her head furiously, "he said he did it because of my mom's death, why would he hit us when she was still alive? It makes no sense!"
"Asami," Korra said softly, "remember what I always tell you about Hiroshi?"
Asami gulped. "Dad always lies...." she repeated.
Once again, the room was silenced, with Asami re-reading the article over and over again. Slowly, it started sinking in- he was always like this. He didn't snap after the accident, he didn't blame Asami, he didn't give her what she deserved. He was always the same, abusive parent he is, and he just manipulated her into believing that everything she got was her fault.
And for the first time since the trial, Asami didn't feel scared anymore. She was furious.
"That fucker..." she spat out, handing Lyla back her phone and marching out of the dorm, ignoring Korra's confused calls as she approached Mako's car and got in.
"Drive." She said, barely acknowledging his existence.
"Uh, hello?" He chuckled. "What about Bolin?"
"Fucking drive." She said again, not sparing him a glance.
He didn't drive. "It's good to see you so driven, but seriously, we are waiting for my brother. I'm not going to just leave him here."
Asami scoffed. "Fine, whatever."
A moment later Bolin got into the car, and so did Korra, and finally, Mako started driving.
"What do you think you're doing?" Korra asked discreetly.
"I'm going to punch that motherfucker in the face." Asami answered sternly.
"Sami, don't do anything rushed," Korra said, worrying her bottom lip, "seriously, it's not going to help."
"You don't get it." Asami shook her head.
"I do get it." Her girlfriend insisted. "Remember when Tahno told you about the bet?" Asami looked away. "After we fought, I went up to him and broke his damn hand, and it didn't mend my broken heart."
Asami grit her teeth. "This is different."
"Very," Korra agreed, "but if you land one hit on him, not in self defense, I promise you he'll never serve time."
"I don't care," Asami said, "he'll never serve time anyways."
"But it won't make you feel better," Korra pleaded, "please."
Asami didn't answer.
They arrived at the main office of Future Industries, and if Asami hadn't been so focused, she might've gaped about how many people were out there. It took ages for Mako to find a parking spot. When they finally did, Asami left the car without saying a word, marching forward with her fists clenched.
It was noisy, and Asami hated it. It was crowded, and Asami hated it. Some were waving pride flags, some were holding signs, some were just hanging around. Most of the signs said feminist things, a lot of them said 'Justice for Asami' that seemed to be some moto now. Asami hated everything about it.
"Asami Sato!" Someone called, then another, and another, and she ignored them all. Then, a reporter blocked her, asking if he can get a comment on the riot going on.
"No comment," she replied with grit teeth, trying to bypass him, but he was persistent.
"It seems that you became some sort of symbol to the feminist movement," he said, "what is your opinion on the matter?"
"I'm not just a woman." Asami answered this time. "I'm not just gay and I'm not just a victim. This has more to it than that, more than you people seem to understand."
And after that, she truly left. After pushing her way forward, she managed to get to the front, where the helpless security is. She basically ignored them, and for some reason they let her pass. She didn't even thank them, she just walked up straight to the elevator. And just before it took off, Korra caught up to her.
"Damn you are fast," Korra breathed out, "Asami..."
"Either get in or get out." Asami answered flatly.
Korra stepped in, and finally the doors closed and she was on the way to her father's office. She wasn't scared, or nervous, though she should've been. But right now all she could feel was boiling anger. It took up all of the space inside her, to the point that when she thought about the man she feared her entire life, she was just enraged.
"Please don't do it," Korra pleaded again, "you can walk away from him, we don't have to do this."
"I have to talk to him." Asami answered. "I have to."
Korra sighed in defeat, nodding her head. Asami felt a little bad, she knew she was a mess those last couple of days, and she knew Korra was trying her best, but she had to talk to him. She had to.
Soon enough, they reached the last floor, and Asami simply barged into his office, her scowl deepening when her father jumped from surprise.
"You." She growled, just about to surge forward before Korra literally grabbed her.
Hiroshi stood up. "What is the meaning of this?" He demanded to know.
"You motherfucker!" She snarled, then turned to Korra. "Let me go!"
"Promise you won't do anything rushed." Korra said sternly.
She struggled for a moment against Korra's grip, then sighed in defeat. "Fine," she huffed out, and Korra finally let go of her.
"Look at what you've done." Hiroshi shouted, pointing at his window. "What the fuck were you thinking? You ruined my life!"
But Asami wasn't afraid, not this time.
"I ruined your life?" Asami said in disbelief. "Fuck you! You're everything bad about mine!"
"Don't you dare raise your voice on me!" He stepped forward, making Asami flinch a little.
"Hey, back off asshole." Korra placed a defending arm in front of Asami. "Or I promise you the media will never be your problem again, because they won't be able to recognize your ass."
"You think I'm scared of some little girl?" He grit his teeth. "You only got away from me because of that damn picture, you have nothing on me now."
"I can still fuck you up." Korra threatened. "And so can Asami, given that she's been in self defense classes for a while now."
"You think you're tough?" He scoffed. "I can break your damn face in half a second, just ask your precious girlfriend, I've done that to her before."
Korra looked like she was about to murder him, which didn't sit well with Asami, since she wanted to be the one to murder him.
"You little shit." She spat out, getting his attention. "You ruined my fucking life! And all this time I thought it was my damn fault! You lied to me!"
"It is your fault!" Hiroshi shouted and Asami held herself tightly as to not give in to her instincts and run away. "You know damn well it is! You know why you deserve everything you got!"
"I know you used to hit her!" She screamed right back, frown deepening and hands fisting. "You were always an abusive, manipulative bastard! You didn't become one! I didn't deserve any of this, nor did she!"
"You don't get to talk to me about my wife!" His voice roared. "You killed her! You deserve everything you've gotten! I should've sent your ass to jail, where you belong!"
"You're the only one who deserves to be in jail, Hiroshi." Korra spat out. "She ain't to blame for shit. Fuck you."
"I hate you." Asami said, venom leaking out of her tone. "I want absolutely nothing to do with you for the rest of my life, and I'm changing my last name!"
For a moment, he actually seemed hurt. "You don't mean that," he said, "I'm the only family member you have left, we have to stick together."
"She has a family, a real one," Korra said, stepping between the two and pushing him backwards, "with me, and my parents, and our friends. You on the other hand? You're going to die miserable and alone, and when you're on your deathbed you'll suddenly remember everything that went down between you and your only daughter, and you'll be sorry for everything you've done. But by then it'll be too late."
After that, Korra took Asami's hand, pulling her away and out of the office, much to Asami's dismay.
"What are you doing?" She demanded to know. "I had more to say to him!"
At that, Korra turned around, and her expression startled Asami, because it was completely blank.
"What's going on with you?" She asked, her voice pained. "First you fight with me, then Lyla, then you cross a distance just to fight him?"
"It's... it's not like that..." Asami mumbled. "I apologized to you, and I will to Lyla-"
"But why would you in the first place?" Korra interjected. "God Asami I can't... I can't even recognize you anymore."
And at that, she let go of Asami's hand, starting to walk away to the elevators alone.