It's a great relief when Bolin joins in on the evasion. The Avatar is quick to nod and chime in with all manner of yeahs and totallys. Who came up with this stuff, right? Still, her cheeks and ears continue their searing burn, with no promise of relenting for as long as the two of them lingered on the topic, and under this darned plant she hadn't been able to ignore.
" Yeah. Silly, " she echoes, chuckling a little, amused with Bolin's ramblings and the jokes woven in so effortlessly. Silly. Is it?
Her ears catch the words kiss you from Bolin's next word jumble, and suddenly her entire being flushes as hot as a glowing coal, stiff and stuck staring at him. She can't stop imagining it now, of looking at Bolin in this light beneath the mistletoe. Curiosity grows on her unbridled, wondering what it would be like to kiss him, to be cradled by his larger form like all the ladies in sappy romance stories. She can't deny she's wanted to experience that -- and it doesn't seem too strange for that to happen with Bolin, now that she considers it. It doesn't have to ruin their friendship, or mean anything either, does it? A part of her however, the wiser part now lost beneath excitement, knows that something will change irrevocably as a result. But that can no longer deter the young Avatar, too enchanted by the novelty and thrill to be had here. For better or worse, she has to get this impulse satisfied now.
" Uh, that ... doomed to bad luck does sound pretty bad, I think? " she starts, wishing she could facepalm at how stiff she sounds, even to herself. Better not linger on it. " If you believe that a ... hanging plant ... can cause such a thing. But it-- it doesn't hurt to be safe, right? "
Merely looking at Bolin burns now, and so her gaze darts around, searching for anywhere else to settle. The tips of her boots, idly or nervously shuffling at the thin layer of snow on the street, seem good enough for the moment. " Unless it's uh, totally stupid and you're not interested-- I mean, believing in that kind of bad luck stuff. "
It's her turn huff out an unconvincing laughter. " Because I kind of wouldn't exactly -- mind? It's not like it has to be a big deal or mean anything, it's -- just for avoiding the plant curse ... thing. " When she dares look up at him then, it's with a vulnerability that she can't conceal, a question playing in the glint of her gaze.
Did... did he hear her correctly? Forgetting that Korra had stumbled over her own words like he did, Bolin's mind kicked into overdrive as he processed everything between the stutters. Was she implying that they should fend off some strange superstition about bad luck being granted on those who don't kiss under a plant by... actually kissing? An image of just that flashed through his mind — not that he hadn't already tried imagining that before this whole mistletoe business.
He was suddenly so aware of his body. How near they were standing to each other. How close they were in height. The sound of rushing blood in his ears as his face continued to get hotter. The way the cool winter air felt in contrast to the heat of his cheeks and ears. The heavy thumping in his chest that started to race then echo in his ears like an accompanying meteronome to the rushing sound. The way he pursed his lips as he gulped. Oh Spirits, were his lips too dry? Was it because of the cold? Was it the nerves? Was it the way Korra was looking up at him so expectantly?
"You don't? I mean — you want to? Like- For the plant, right. Well- I just-" Words. Words just tumbled out of his mouth like an avalanche the moment he found his voice again. His brows furrowed immediately, disappointed at his inability to articulate, before shaking his head furiously as if shaking it off physically would help.
"Look. Korra. What I said before about not wanting to kiss you — that was lie. Well, um, I mean, it was true that I wasn't explaining the whole bad luck thing because of wanting to kiss you. But I do. Want to kiss you, I mean. Like. Not because of a plant. Not because of some superstition. And I don't want to you to feel obligated or anything to do so unless you actually want to because you're your own person and are totally capable of deciding things by yourself because you're smart and wonderful and thoughtful and strong and—" He stopped himself as soon as he realized he was starting to rant again. "What I'm trying to say is if we were to kiss right now — actually, it doesn't even have to be right now; just whenever — I wouldn't want it to be for any other reason than we both mutually wanted to kiss each other for kissing reasons." There. He said it — albeit, still a bit clumsy, but there wasn't going back now.