As soon as he heard the rattle of the doorknob from inside the bedroom, Cas let out the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. He was glad that at least one of the people he’d stopped by to visit was still awake, and the smile on Iris’s face that he could see when she opened the door made his heart swell with joy. [color=#b97703]“Thanks,”[/color] he grinned back at her when she commented on his speech. After learning that his father hadn’t even stayed awake to watch one minute of it, knowing that she had kept her word made him feel warm inside. He also thought it was cute that she referred to herself as his ‘number one supporter.’ It was nice to have someone around who would act like his cheerleader when even his own family was too busy to pay any attention to him. He hadn’t had anyone like that in his life since his mother had passed away.

Without thinking, he took a step toward Iris and leaned down to press his lips to hers in a deep kiss. His hands found their way to the small of her back, and he pulled her to his torso, closing the distance between them completely. Her touch was still new and exciting, but she also had a way of comforting him that no one else could match. Savoring the feeling of the tension ebbing from his body and the heat of her slender frame pressed up against his, he lingered for a moment—or maybe it was longer; it was hard to tell when time seemed to stop—before he finally pulled away to catch his breath.

[color=#b97703]“Sorry,”[/color] he smiled at her sheepishly, although he didn’t let his arms drop from around her waist right away. [color=#b97703]“I just needed that.”[/color] Clearing his throat awkwardly, he stepped back again and dropped his hands into his trouser pockets in a wordless declaration that he would keep them to himself now that he’d gotten the first move out of his system. Since everything was still so new, he hoped he hadn’t overstepped any boundaries by kissing her without any warning. He didn’t know if she was the type to appreciate spontaneity or if she had been taken aback by the gesture and would have preferred him to give her some kind of sign before his lips had crashed into hers.

[color=#b97703]“I would like that drink now,”[/color] Cas confirmed, turning to lead the way down the corridor. He could feel a hint of a blush that had developed in his cheeks, so he opened his mouth again to distract himself from his own chagrin with a conversation. [color=#b97703]“So, you really thought the address went well?”[/color] he asked, glancing down at her as they walked. [color=#b97703]“To be honest, I don’t remember all of it. I was such a wreck right before I started that the beginning went by in a blur. I think I spoke coherently though, because the audience clapped a few times.”[/color]