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So far, Castor's Christmas had been...okay at best. His father's unexpected visit and proclamation had left Elzo upset. Take over the company. Without Marlo. The very idea was absurd. Elzo knew an alright amount about how to run the company, but Marlo was the one with the skills, the talent.
Not to mention the cookies him mom sent them were burnt. Again. Just one year he wished she could get the recipe right. Marlo's mild forgiveness over the whole detention incident had proved to be a wonderful Christmas gift, (even if he was still a bit bitter).

So, while it was okay, it was by no means abysmal. If anything, Castor was feeling better then he had after his father's morning brunch. Both due to Marlo, and Marlo baking him a pizza, just like old times. So, it was an okay Christmas. But, he was still a bit..lonely. Marlo had left to give out gifts and Elzo hadn't much to do. So, why waste the night when he could relax with a nigh out on patrol? At least it was sort of productive, (if chilly).

As always, he'd taken to passing the park. And of course, the bench.
His bench.
Their bench.

As he noticed blue hair ahead, Castor's jumping slowed, until he was standing just a ways from her. He swallowed, a wave of nervousness filling him.

"Linarite?"

You could have heard a pin drop with the silence that filled the air. In his head, he'd rehearsed dozen of lines for their next meeting. 'Its been awhile.' 'I missed you.' 'Miss me?' 'Sexy as ever I see.' Things like that. They were running in his head a mile a minute. However what came out, wasn't a line he hadn't practiced.
"Merry Christmas!" he just blurted it out. As soon as it left his lips a light blush ran across his features. "Um, that is if you celebrate. How's about this? Happy Christmahanakwanza?" He let a light chuckle eascape, finally finding the courage to move forward.

That is, he moved forward to embrace her and to begin nuzzling her hair affectionately. He wasn't kissing her, just holding her, enjoying the simple act. "I....God I missed you." more nuzzling into her hair and neck. A tiny kiss on her pulse. "This what they call a Christmas miracle? Running into an angel in the snow?" His tone was light, as was the embrace.

"...I kind of don't want to let go. It's cold out. You're warm." He laughed again, returning to his nuzzling.

As they finally separated, Castor paused to run his hand in her hair. "If you're a fallen angel, I pray to god or the devil that I'll get to be the one to catch you." He kissed a stand that lingered in his palm. "Hell could freeze, heaven could become a barren wasteland, it could become hell on earth, and I wouldn't give a damn. So long as I could just be with you." Considering the fact that they were enemies and hell would indeed need to freeze over for them to be together, it was sad. While it was a romantic notation, it was also a bittersweet one. They both knew it, and neither wanted to accept it.

Cupping her face, Castor had to mentally hold him self back from smothering her in kisses. He wanted nothing more then to do so, but, it wasn't really productive. At least not to the productive he wanted.
It was then that the senshi noticed the gift in her hands. "Oh, um..." He accepted it, holding it like it was perhaps the most fragile thing to ever be made. A smile crossed his face, and it wasn't a cocky one. It was the smile of someone who'd just got a gift he knew he would cherish, no matter what it contained, (if it contained a youma, he still would hold the smile).

"Sorry I don't have one for you. Unless you want me to rip out my starseed, but, I kind of need that to live. And I would hope you wanted me alive." Another soft kiss, this one on a hand he raised to his lips. "Thank you. Do you want me to open it now or..?"

Every reaction Castor drew from Linarite made him feel all that more enamored. Each touch, each blush, heck, even how she spoke made him want to do nothing more then pick her up and whisk her away to a place where they could be together, without the threat of the negaverse, the senshi, of anything. Just them, together.
But even Castor know this was never going to be a reality. Which was all the more reason he cherished these moments so deeply.

He could whisk her away, at least back to one place. The bench. "Hmm, I'm getting a bit colder already though." He bent low before scooping her into his arms, careful not to crush the brightly wrapped box. "I might freeze." He laughed as he sat down on the bench, keeping Linarite in his lap. Oddly, it didn't faze him.

"No starseed you say? Only me opening your present? Well, let Santa Castor grant you your Christmas wish." His grin was the same, if more excited. With out a moment's hesitation Castor's fingers were carefully pulling tape from paper. He was going to save the paper. He was going to save the ribbon. He was being far to careful with- <******** it." He had been too careful. Now he was just ripping open the box, like he was supposed to do. It was a Christmas gift after all.

His smile, his excitement, all faded as he pulled out the tiny gift.
A handmade, bead daisy. The petals a clear plastic, reflecting the light of the street lamps and glittering like the snowflakes that fell into his hand. It was no bigger then his palm, and with a keyring, Castor was already planing on putting it to use.

"Lina..this is...God." he held it to the light, a gentle smile on his features. "Thank you."

"Lina." Castor's smile was now marred by a deep frown. He looked mad.

"It is perfect." He pulled her to straddle him. His frown was still present. It was odd combined with what he was saying. "It. Is. Perfect." Each word was finished with a featherlight kiss to her face. Her forehead. Her nose. Her cheek. But never her lips. He didn't trust himself to hold back if he kissed her lips.
A hand went an unzipped her coat, allowing his hands to snake behind her warm frame and pull her closer, sharing the warmth of their bodies. "It's perfect." He kissed her chin, a smile now present. It was obvious. he dislike her belittlement of her self. "You love Christmas. Well Lina, I love you." Finally, his kiss landed on her lips. It was still light, and brief.

"I shouldn't. It might get me killed. Shunned by the other senshi. But I don't care." He held up her gift, running a thumb along the beads as he marveled at simple charm. Eyes went back to her own. "I love you."

This kiss was unlike his past kisses. It was a real kiss, the kind you saw in movies.

The kiss you gave someone before you had to say goodbye.

No! She was leaving. s**t, had he been to forward? To brazen in his words? s**t s**t s**t! Not only that but was she crying? God damn it!
"Lina, wait." He tried to hold onto her, keep her with him. He could feel her body tense. But, in a way, he knew this was how it had to be. Every word she said cut him like a knife. But god, just let him have this moment. Let it linger a little longer.
"I know the risks, but damn it, I love you! You're worth it to me!" Then she was out of his grasp. He only had time to stand before her last words hit him.
She might love him in return.
Tears of love, bitterness, hope, fear, all threatened to fall. "Linarite..." He reached out to embrace her once more, but no.

She was already running, the snow fading her image in the cold.
All he could do was call after her. "I won't give up! I'll find a way!"
She was gone now, all he could see was snow falling to the ground in a blanket of white.
"I'll find a way we can be together...I swear."

The charm in his hand, Castor swallowed his emotion as he turned away and went back to Hillworth. It was only when he had powered down, re-entered his room, and sat down, did Elzo finally begin to weep.

Because more then anything, he wanted to make that impossible wish, a reality.