Note: requested fic over at Tumblr which I will leave open just in case some more ideas pop in my head ^^

Betrayed for the third time. First my father. Then Mako and now him. I couldn't take it any more.

He begged me to come out but all I could do was sit there on the cold tile floor and stare at the object that had caused all this mess.

"Please come out Asami" His hand was on the door knob but we both knew the bathroom was locked.

He banged a fist against the door. "If you could just give me a chance, I'll explain everything…"

I leaned back, resting my head against the door as he kept on talking. Closing my eyes was all I could do to keep the tears from coming. It was painful just to hear his voice right now and not get up and run to him.

Bit he lied to you. He's Korra's enemy. Your enemy.

"Asami.." He tried again.

"Please stop talking" I finally said while holding the mask near my heart. My mind was still trying to grasp everything. The fact that he was a bloodbender and Yakone's son. The enemy we were trying to defeat.

This was the man that had torn what was left of my family.

"Does my father know?" was the first question that came to mind.

"No" he answered softly. "nobody knows but you.."

A tear slid down my cheek and into the mask and for just a second, it seemed like the mask wept for both of us. I ran my hand over the white surface, tracing every detail, every line, searching in vain for the smallest hint that this might be any other mask. But that red circle.. even if I covered it with my hand, it would still be there.

If there was a way to go back in time and erase these past few hours, I would do it. Why did open that closet door and have that box fall on my feet? Why wasn't he looking as I lifted it only to have the white face stare up at me?

I don't know how many hours had passed before I got the courage to open the door but before I did, my hand reached to wipe the remaining tears.

He stood up once I was outside and walked toward me. It was hard not to stare at him and have my heart give a thousands beats.

Was it beating for love, because even after hearing the whole truth…all the lies and betrayal….It was so hard for me to admit that I loved him without feeling guilty.

Guilty that I was betraying my friends, because as valuable as this information was, I could never reveal his secret. If someone was to stop him, it had to be Korra and he wouldn't end the equalist movement just for me or because the Avatar was my friend. And even worse that I chose to stay instead of walking out that door.

Away form him.

"Asami..I.."

Before he could say another word, I threw myself at him and buried my face in his shirt. "Let's not talk about this…"

"But there's so much to say and.."

I tugged at his shirt, pulling him closer to me. He felt like a stranger in my arms even though I knew who he was. "I'm forcing myself to hate you right now and I hate myself even more for trying..so just…don't…"

We held each other for what seemed a lifetime. Noatak buried his head on my shoulder.

I know you're not going to stop this war. And I'm going to stop fighting just because I love you. It's a lie, what you're doing and Korra has to be the one to stop you. But I'll promise to be there for both of you, no matter the outcome.

Maybe after all this mess ends, we can start over.