Fame Crazy (Sequel to Strings Attached)

Chapter 141

The party goes on basically the same as it has been for the last couple hours. Eventually, people do start to trickle out, and by six o'clock that evening, the only guests left are the extended Novak family, the Winchesters, the MacLeods, Charlie, and Ash. Castiel doesn't really get to acknowledge most of these people, though, because he's stuck talking to Crowley.

"So, what have you been up to since high school ended?" Castiel asks, reluctantly playing along.

"Not much," Crowley tells him. "It's been pretty boring lately."

Castiel lives for the boring times in his life, so it's weird that that's a bad thing to him, but he doesn't mention that, instead saying, "Yeah, it seems boring all around. So..." He asks the first question that comes to mind. "Where'd you go to college?"

"I, uh, didn't really get around to that," Crowley tells him. "Went straight to work, ya know?"

"Really?" Castiel says in surprise. "I figured you would have wanted to go, play college football or something."

Crowley's gaze flicks to Dean, quick enough that Castiel isn't sure he really saw it, before saying, "Didn't work out."

"Well, that sucks," Castiel says. "Where are you working these days, anyway?"

"Fixing up cars," Crowley tells him. "Doesn't pay well, but it pays."

"Well, there are worse jobs to have."

"So I've heard," Crowley replies. "But we can't all be superstars like you, so I'll make due."

"I can't say I envy you, but I wouldn't be so sure the celebrity life is any better," Castiel tells him.

Crowley scoffs. "Yeah, okay, sure," he says sarcastically. "I'm sure it's rough being a billionaire."

"I'm not a billionaire," Castiel tells him.

"You could feed the enter population of America for a year."

"I wish, but no," Castiel replies. "Maybe if I could pay the paparazzi to back off, it would be cool, but as it is, my money doesn't mean jack."

Crowley scoffs. "Well, I'm glad you've been fortunate in the financial sense all your life. You have no idea how many people can't say the same."

"Which is why I try to help where I can, but one person can only do so much," Castiel can hear the slightly defensive edge to his voice, though he has no right to be. It's not like he's wrong.

"Don't kid yourself. You can always do more," Crowley tells him.

"I can barely leave my house without getting mobbed by fans," Castiel explains, starting to lose his patience. "I'm doing what I can without having to deal with that."

"If you really wanted to make a difference, that wouldn't bother you."

"It's not my job to pay for everyone," Castiel snaps. "It's my job to make music, not to fund America."

"It's your job to be a role model," Crowley counters. "Selfishness isn't usually in the role model handbook."

Castiel scoffs. Did this asshole really have the audacity to call him selfish? What kind of joke is this?

"When did you suddenly get a conscience?" Castiel snaps.

"When did you lose yours?"

"You know what?" Castiel says finally, standing up. "I don't have to get into this with you." Without waiting for a response, he walks out of the room, because he knows that the only way to get Crowley to stop pestering him is not to be near him.

He feels his pocket, relieved to find his phone there. It will give him something to do when he finds somewhere to go. As he walks out the door, he makes the decision to go back home, so he can at least be comfortable as he spends his life online. He can charge his phone, too, which he desperately needs to do.

He isn't sure how he knows there's someone behind him, but somehow, he can sense it, and he glances over his shoulder to see Dean following him. He slows down slightly so Dean can catch up without having to jog.

"Hey, Cas," Dean greets him. "You good?"

"Now that Crowley isn't here, sure," Castiel replies. "Six years later and he's still an ass."

"What was going on, anyway?" Dean asks. "I was too busy talking to Claire's friend Ash to listen to you guys."

"It was nothing," Castiel says dismissively.

"If it was nothing, you'd still be back there," Dean reminds him. "I mean, as it is, you've already ditched Misha on the couch with Lucifer."

Castiel frowns. He totally forgot Misha was back at the Novak house, but he's not going back to get him. Lucifer will take care of him. Maybe he'll even ask Lucifer if he wants to keep the dog for the next few days, so he'll be able to run free instead of being cooped up alone in the hotel room while Castiel films his next music video.

"I feel like Lucifer won't really mind," Castiel tells his boyfriend. "He seems to love the dog more than anyone else."

"It's kind of unnerving, actually," Dean says. "He's going to marry the thing one day."

Castiel chuckles. "At this rate, looks like."

They lapse into silence, which Dean breaks after a minute or so.

"So, any plans after your dramatic exit, or...?"

Castiel shrugs. "Probably Instagram and Twitter until I fall asleep."

"Why would you use Twitter when Instagram loves you?" Dean asks.

He briefly explains how he revealed that he has a secret Instagram to his Twitter followers. "So now they're all excited and it's pretty funny," he adds.

"Okay?" Dean says uncertainly, doubtlessly wondering why Castiel finds it funny.

He's sure it's hard for most people to imagine if they haven't been in his place before, but to him, his fans' reactions to everything he does are usually the funniest things he sees in a day. People are freaking out over this, especially on Instagram, because they know they might be noticed by him. It's a lot more entertaining to watch people flip out that one would expect.

"Don't question it," Castiel advises him.

"I won't," Dean assures him. "You can go be your weird celebrity self and I'll pretend I'm not judging."

"Seems legit."