Fame Crazy (Sequel to Strings Attached)

Chapter 128

One thing he hadn't thought of when he decided to go to Los Angeles was that he hasn't seen Gabriel in months. He's leaving two days before Gabriel comes back from California, and it's far from the same part of the state. He can't say he regrets it, though. A birthday release is perhaps the best thing he's ever thought of, and he's not letting that go. Not with this album. Not with this first single.

Dean manages to get a ticket on the same flight, so they're able to fly down together and hang out, with Misha tucked in with the luggage. Just like the last time they flew together, Castiel has to calm his boyfriend down because he's still not big on flying, but once they're in the air, he seems okay. Not happy, but okay. Castiel still keeps an arm around his shoulders throughout the first half hour until it falls asleep and he has to move it to wake it up.

He's vaguely aware of all the pictures people take at the airport in South Dakota, but it doesn't really phase him. They're mostly subtle, and he only has to stop to talk to fans eight times, which may seem like a lot, but not for him.

Los Angeles is a different story. Someone must have tipped off the media, because he's swarmed by paparazzi practically the moment he steps off the plane. Part of him wants to duck his head and make a run for it, but he knows that's not what the people want, so he's willing to spend an extra few minutes walking like a normal person. He waves at the cameras, a smile plastered on his face. He sees fans begging for his attention, and he gives a few of them passing high fives, but nothing more than that, or he'd be there all day.

Dean makes sure to stand right next to him when he asks somewhat quietly — which is really a normal voice in a loud room — "Does this happen everywhere you go?"

"Pretty much," Castiel replies. "Does this not happen to you?"

Dean scoffs. "This? No! Cas, this is insane. How do you get anything done like this?"

"I usually give myself at least an extra hour when I do anything in public, just in case," he replies. "You get used to it eventually. It's kinda weird, going to Sioux Falls and not having to worry about it."

"Why would you ever leave Sioux Falls to put up with this?"

Castiel shrugs. "It's kinda cool, meeting fans, and I know it means a lot to them, so I just kinda roll with it. You'd get it if this happened to you a lot. I see people on Instagram talking about how I waved at them on the street once, or made eye contact at a concert. Even something simple like that means a lot to them. I want to at least acknowledge all my stans at least once in my life, whether it's online or in person."

"That is never, ever, ever going to happen," Dean tells him.

"Like, ever," Castiel adds, joking around with the Taylor Swift song, but Dean doesn't get the reference, so he moves on. "No, probably not, but I can try, you know?"

Dean smiles slightly at that. "You really do care about them, don't you?"

"I owe them for everything I have," Castiel replies. "Of course I care. This luggage claim, right?"

Dean pauses for a moment, then nods once. "That it is."

They're stuck waiting for about fifteen minutes before the luggage starts pouring out. Thankfully, Castiel put bright red duct tape on all the handles, so it catches his eye easily, and he doesn't have to look at every single one to roll by.

Per usual when he flies, his time at the luggage claim is seen as free time, and he meets quite a few fans. Some of them talk to Dean, too, and some of them ignore him. There is one extra cute moment, more than just the typical fifteen-year-old girls fangirling.