Dean gently held Castiel's face framed between his hands, one thumb absentmindedly stroking the angel's stubbled jaw as they searched each other's eyes. Their lips were parted by scant inches of air as Dean quietly breathed, "If we do this, there's no going back. You know that, Cas?"
"Yes, I know. I've known since I raised you from Perdition."
"Since... Perdition?"
"Yes, Dean. It has been that long for me. And I'm tired of hiding how I feel. Tired of waiting for the promise of what could be. Tired of waiting for the perfect moment to arrive. I don't want to wait another minute. This is it for me – you are it for me. I lo–"
Dean closed the gap between them, his lips stealing the words from Castiel before he could give voice to them. Instead, Dean tasted them on Castiel's tongue, losing himself to the eternal truth of their sweet flavour. His heart began to float away with a joy lighter than a room full of helium balloons, even as Castiel's arms wrapped around him, firmly anchoring him to the here and now.
Kissing Cas. Loving Cas.
It was everything he had dreamed it would be... and more.