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Bo was not the greatest boyfriend in the world, not in the traditional sense. He made Adira roses out of bank receipts and brought her polaroid photos of all the pretty things he had seen that day that reminded him of her. At the nice restaurant, though, he didn't have enough money to pay, and Adira had to pick up the tab. It wasn't something that Bo saw as an issue. But it was certainly not something that Miss Manners would have approved of. There was good and bad with Bo Hanley, but for whatever reason, Adira accepted his adorable factor and let the other parts slide -- at least, so far.

One arm slung lazily over Adira's shoulders, curling her close to his body. "It's so cold out," he said lowly. "I miss the sticky heat of summer." There wasn't sadness in his voice, but if Adira looked closely, she might have noticed a flicker of it in his eyes. It was true that Bo was not fully himself in this bitter season, even if he tried to make the best of it. He had always been that way, long before he even knew that it was his power sphere, or that he served a princess, or that cats could talk.

His other arm curled around her, drawing her into a hug. "Oh yes, this is much better," he whispered.

When Adira broke the hug, Bo tilted his head, confused. It wasn't until she hopped up onto the bench and reached for him again that his smile returned to its usual wattage, glowing brighter when she kissed his cheek. "Or a lot of summer," he chimed in, nuzzling his face into the crook of her neck. Adira had really wonderful hair. It always smelled nice, though he could never quite put his finger on the scent.

One gloved hand reached up to gentle touch a loose curl, fingers dragging down the length of it and then moving to brush her arm. Then Adira pulled him tighter, and Bo wrapped both arms around her, squeezing tightly and lifting her several inches off of the bench. "With you, it doesn't seem so cold," he whispered back.

He held her there for a moment and then swept one arm quickly under her legs and sat down, keeping her on his lap. He wasn't sure how long she'd stay there, but he laughed and grinned, clearly proud of himself.

Bo liked picking up girls and spinning them, especially petite ones. Almost as much as he himself liked to spin around on merry-go-rounds or lean back at the highest pitch of a swing. It wasn't that Bo was terribly immature. He just didn't see the point in ever fully growing up. Peter Pan and Bo Hanley: BFFE.

He bristled against the cold touch of her nose. "Yikes," he said softly, but didn't back away. Words formed on his lips, but were smothered when Adira leaned in and kissed him. He kissed her back, placing one hand on the small of her back and dipping her dramatically so that her hair lightly brushed the layer of snow on the ground.

When he pulled her back up, Bo was grinning madly, his eyes searching hers for something he wasn't sure he was strong enough to handle. This was the part of a relationship he could handle: the laughter, the flirtation, the smiles. It was the other stuff, the darker stuff, that sent him running. So far, Adira and Bo had managed to avoid it.

"I'll sit on a hundred freezing benches -- even colder than this -- if it means a moment like this, eh?" he said finally, sweeping her sheet of hair past her shoulder. He leaned in as if to kiss her on the mouth, but instead placed it on her nose with a laugh.

Sitting there, staring at her like that, Bo was struck by a sudden idea. "Wait a sec," he said, scooping Adira off his lap and setting her on the bench. He hopped to his feet, digging in the pocket of his jacket for something. When his hand came back out, it was holding a small digital camera, the one he carried about when his other was too bulky. Bo jogged a few steps away and then dropped to both knees in the snow, angled the lens at Adira, and started to snap away.

The last photo Bo got was of Adira's legs: both airborne and flying toward him. It was a shoe-in for his wall collage the second he got home. One arm flailed out to embrace her at the last second, but both still went hurtling gently into the snow. Bo chuckled, tugging at the sleeve of his jacket to dump out some excess ice. He had fingerless gloves on, not the best idea, and the tips of his fingers were bright red.

"You are unpredictable," he said, even if it wasn't entirely true. "I like it."

Grabbing a loose handful of snow, Bo drizzled it lightly into her hair. "I don't know if you know this," he began, wriggling closer to her, "but that was mistletoe snow. Just an FYI." Then he closed his eyes, puckered his lips comically, and waited.

Bo waited with eyes closed and lips ready, but instead felt soft lips brushing his numb fingertips. Well, he sort of felt it. "You'll freeze," he said mockingly, though it wasn't really a joke. It sounded more like a child trying to argue with an adult. Not that Bo really argued. No, he was just a world class avoider.

When Adira offered her place, Bo sat upright comically. "Miss Perses," he said in mock seriousness, "are you trying to seduce me?" The voice was apparently supposed to be reminiscent of The Graduate, but he sounded more like d**k Tracey with a cold.

Bo climbed to his feet and then helped Adira to hers. "Because you really don't have to try." He leaned closer and whispered, "I mean, you really don't. I'm there." Two arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her tight.

Bo curled her closer. "Oh, you can keep me warm," he said, grinning. "You can keep me as warm as you'd like." From another boy's lips, this might have come across unbelievably douche-y, but there was something about the cant of his head and the laughter in his voice that kept this vibe away.

Sliding Adira to his side, he draped one arm over her shoulder, gazing down at her from his full height with a light in his eyes. "Hot chocolate sounds delicious. I've always wondered what your room looks like. I figure... a mirror. Lots of photos, maybe? Something classy." His arm slid from her shoulder and instead dropped so that the pair could lace fingers.

"Lead the way, captain," he said, giving her a mock salute. "Where you go, I shall follow."

The more they walked, the heavier the snow fell. Even with his hood up, Bo felt utterly soaked. Their feet left twin wet paths through the lobby of her building and small puddles in the elevator. By the time they reached her apartment, Bo had started to warm up a bit, but he still shivered every so often, adjusting his jacket uncomfortably.

That discomfort was momentarily forgotten when he stepped inside Adira's flat. It was... awesome -- much better than his, not that that was much of a challenge. "You have a fireplace!" he said suddenly, crossing the room to it. He pulled at the protective cover. "Very romantic, aw haw haw." Apparently that was what Bo thought French people sounded like.

Working along the edge, Bo touched here and there at Adira's things, drinking it all in with a growing smile. "It's a classy place. You fit perfectly in it." He was distracted by a corkboard on the wall. Bo could recognize his own handiwork. A finger touched at one of the folded roses, but he didn't say anything. He just turned slowly and smiled at her with a warmth that seemed deeper than his normal flirtation.

In a flash, that mature glimmer was gone. "Race you to the bedroom!" he declared triumphantly. Wet sneakers thudded against her floors as he went room to room, finally throwing up the right door. There was a sound of heaving and then the bouncing of springs. "I WIN," he announced -- much louder than necessary.

It did not occur to him that lying on her bed in wet clothes might not be the smartest idea in the world.