"…Korra, I think I love you."
Her eyes glanced around at the secluded, earthy part of the Air Temple as she thought about what she was going to say. She contemplated laughing in his face but civilly said, "Mako, I'm sorry things didn't work out with Asami. And I'm flattered but there's something you don't know. I was hoping Bolin and I could sit you down sometime so we could explain it to you together but this kinda makes that awkward. I'll just say it: I'm going out with Bolin."
His eyes bugged out (she had to bite her tongue to keep from laughing this time) and he said, a bit stupefied, "Like in a relationship?"
"Yeah. Actually, it's pretty serious."
"You literally got back six days ago. When did this happen?"
She shrugged, casually saying, "We were training together at the gym yesterday and something clicked."
"How'd it get serious then?"
"How else would it get serious?"
Betrayal bitterly bit into his expression, making her feel some pity for the firebender. "I thought you said you liked me," he coldly said.
"And I thought you had a girlfriend. Things change," she sighed at how insensitive she sounded. "Mako, maybe you should try to patch things up with Asami. I mean, she's a nice girl and you like her, right?"
"I don't think you heard what I said before; I think I love you."
"No, Mako, you don't. You don't 'think' you love a person. You either do or you don't. There's no 'confusion' about it at all. I didn't really get that before but now I do. Bolin loves me…" her eyes softened significantly at the thought. She returned to the present and told him, "Do yourself a favor. Go back to Asami."
His eyes dropped to the ground. Almost like a kicked puppy, he mumbled, "I can't. She dumped me."
Rage came alive in Korra. "She dumped you? You mean you're not the one who broke up with her?"
Defensively, he said, "I never said that. All I said was I wasn't with Asami anymore and I think I love you."
She sniffled distastefully. "It's a good thing I found Bolin when I did. Otherwise, I would have ended up with you."
Korra turned abruptly and stomped away, effectively ending the conversation, and dramatically making her feelings towards him as of now very clear.
Her steps became lighter and faster as she meandered around the Air Temple. She broke into a run when she finally saw him at a fair distance. Bolin seemed to be entertaining Tenzin's kids with a few earthbending tricks. He kicked the ground with his foot and the earth beneath the three children's feet shot up. The children laughed as they fluttered down from the height. None of them noticed the Avatar until, only a few feet away, she raised her arms to earth bend. Three walls and a roof jumped up around a very surprised Bolin. The fourth wall set it a second later, after she was pressed flush against him.
In utter darkness, she blindly crushed her lips to his. The thoroughly satisfying, open mouth kiss melted into a series of quick pecks that only ended when she hugged him. His large, safe arms came around her, bringing a sense of comfort she felt to her soul.
"What happened?" he chuckled.
"Your brother's a jerk. I'm glad it's you, Bo."
He wanted to question what his brother had done but from outside this tiny, makeshift rock room Meelo was making kissing noises, Ikki was singing little nursery rhymes about kissing, and Jinora was loudly explaining how she'd recently read a love story that involved a kissing scene.
"We're going to have to leave eventually," he said, grinning.
"I think we should wait until the kids are gone."
"So for now, it's just you and me and this conveniently placed rock. Oh, gee, I wonder how we'll pass the time."
Lightly laughing, she murmured a part of Ikki's nursery rhyme, "K-I-S-S-I-N-G," and delved in for another kiss.
