Not What He Seems

Chapter 14

It's not long before Sam finally admits to Dean what Riot had been hoping for — that once they took care of Kevin and the tablet, he was done hunting. He loved the normal life he had with Amelia, and he wanted it back.

Dean wasn't happy, of course. He got a little snippy. He made a few rude remarks. Riot almost got the urge to bite his fingers off a few times as a warning. But, overall, he just didn't seem to believe it, and Riot was glad he didn't.

All Riot has to do, he realizes, is make sure the Winchesters make it through this alive. Hell, Dean doesn't even have to make it out alive as long as Sam does. Once they've sealed the demons up, Sam is taking Riot back to Texas, and they're going to spend the rest of their lives together. It's exactly what he wanted, and he didn't even have to force Sam's hand.

But, obviously, it depends on Sam staying alive, so Riot has to follow them everywhere they go. He sneaks out of the car or motel rooms every time the Winchesters leave, hiding in shadows and small crevices and just waiting to make sure they make it out so he can run home before anyone notices he was gone.

If there's one thing he learns during the next few cases he witnesses, it's that these guys are good. They always get in a tight spot, and, just as Riot's about to try to jump in and save them, they always get out of the tight spot. It's like clockwork, every single case. They almost die, and then they don't.

Sam leaving the hunting life again is just the first stone of a whole wall of change that seems to hit all at once. Dean is friends with a vampire, and Sam doesn't trust him. They have a pet angel, and Dean doesn't seem to trust him. They find Kevin and his mom and leave him with another hunter. This one, Garth, they do seem to trust — which, given their feelings on everyone else they know, is kind of surprising. Riot got to meet Garth, though, and he has to admit, he can't imagine anyone not trusting him.

On the topic of meeting the angel, though, it was certainly an interesting interaction. The guy came back from Purgatory, covered head to toe in dirt and grime, and appeared in the bathroom with Dean, of all places.

The three of them had their moment in peace. It wasn't until he came out of the bathroom after a long shower that he seemed to notice Riot.

"What is that doing here?" Castiel asked, pointing at the dog lying by Sam's feet.

Riot sat up and looked at him with his mouth open, because it always looks like a grin to humans when he does that. Castiel didn't seem to notice.

"That's just... he's mine," Sam said. "Doesn't matter."

"Why is it here?" Castiel asked. "This doesn't seem like you."

Sam seemed taken aback. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you don't typically take prisoners," Castiel said.

Sam chuckled. "Oh, no, he's... think of him as a friend."

"A friend," Castiel repeated slowly. "Does it...help you?"

"No, not really," Sam said, amused. "He's just kinda there."

Riot was personally offended that Sam was talking about him like a garden gnome, but, if that's what it took to get Castiel off his back, he didn't care. What is it with Sam and befriending people who don't like dogs?

"And you let it?"

Sam nodded. "Yeah, basically."

"What is your fixation on that thing, anyway?" Dean asked.

"Well, you don't typically keep monsters around," Castiel said.

Sam scoffed. "Cas, just because he's not human doesn't mean he's a monster."

"I mean, you're not human, and we don't talk smack about you," Dean added.

"Were you not 'talking smack' about me while I was in the shower?" Castiel asked. "I don't know what the phrase means, but I can only imagine..."

That opened up a whole different conversation, and one that Riot was very happy to ignore. He was just content knowing that no one wanted to get rid of him. And, here he is a few weeks later, and he still feels the same.

He has to admit, he kind of likes Cas. The guy's weird. Riot can't figure out the way his mind works. He's awkward and uncomfortable and kind of a dumbass. What more does a guy want in a friend?

He does notice Castiel giving him some weird looks, though. Sometimes, Cas talks to him like he would a normal person. Sometimes, Cas ignores him entirely. He refuses to accept any snuggles and won't pet the dog no matter how much Riot begs, but he'll ask him questions and give him food and let him outside when he needs it. Overall, the guy's very considerate.

And, even better, when Cas is around, he feels like the boys are safe. He still follows them around, but he doesn't worry about them as much. Castiel has some incredible powers, and Riot respects it.

Overall, save the fact that Kevin still hasn't figured out how to slam the doors of hell shut forever, things are going pretty well. Riot's actually almost starting to enjoy this.