Not What He Seems

Chapter 17

"I just... I have so many questions," Sam says, looking at Riot through the rearview mirror. "I mean, this is... insane!"

"Ask away," Riot says. He can't guarantee he knows much about his species in general, but he knows himself and his experiences. That will have to do for now.

"Well, for one, do you have a real name?" Sam asks.

"Riot's a real name," he says.

"But did you have a name before I named you that?" Sam asks.

"I mean, obviously, I was Dog," Riot says, earning a slight chuckle from his owner at the memory. Amelia made him change that one. "My owners before that named me Snuggles. Wasn't a big fan of that one."

Dean snorts. "Your name is Snuggles?"

"Was," Riot says. "It was Snuggles."

"That's embarrassing," Dean says.

"Oh, shut up."

Dean scoffs. "A dog just told me to shut up. I don't even know what to do with that information."

Riot just rolls his eyes.

"I take it you don't want us to call you Snuggles," Sam says.

"God no," he says. "You can stick with Riot."

"Really?"

Riot shrugs. "It's either that or Bob, which worked fine when I was human, but it's a pretty dumb name for a dog."

"You were human?" Sam turns around in his seat to look at him. "So you were turned?"

"Most of us were," Riot says. "Guess my daughter picked out the wrong dog for her birthday." He shrugs. "Shit happens."

"You have a daughter?"

"Are you just repeating everything I say as a question?" Riot asks, amused. "Yeah, I had two kids, daughter and son. Just a stereotypical suburban family."

"Had?" Sam repeats. "What happened to them?"

Riot shrugs. "I don't know. They were turned, put into their own new families. I used to check in on them every now and then, but I haven't exactly been in the area."

"Wait, hold up," Dean says. "You were put here? Your pack leader or whatever just —"

"Dean, no leader tells a member of their pack to get hit by a car," Riot deadpans. Why is he so intent on thinking Riot's the bad guy?

"That's actually a good point," Sam says. "How'd you end up with me? Did I steal you from the family you were with before?"

"Of course not," Riot says. "I didn't want to turn them, so I ran away. I made it halfway across the country before you hit me."

"Yeah, I don't buy it," Dean says. "Sam just happens to hit a skinwalker, and he just happens to be one of the good guys?"

"I never claimed to be one of the good guys," Riot says. "I just wanted to protect my families. I couldn't save my wife or my kids, but I wasn't going to let anyone hurt the families that took me in."

"Mm," Dean hums skeptically.

"You can keep quizzing me if it makes you feel better," Riot says, "but I'm not human and I didn't pull you out of Hell or Purgatory, so I think we both know that you're never going to like me no matter what I say."

Dean doesn't respond to that, which is all the confirmation he needs that he was right. He's not disappointed, though. Sure, he and Dean had a few nice moments together while he was just a dog, but he knew from the moment he met the guy that they would never get along if Dean knew the truth. Hell, he'd be surprised if Dean doesn't shoot him as soon as he gets kicked out in a few days.

"Ignore him," Sam says, shooting his brother a look. "And are my questions getting annoying? 'Cause I just never thought I'd be able to talk to my dog so it's kinda blowing me away, but if that bothers you —"

"You can keep asking questions," Riot says. "I like you."

"Oh my god," Dean mutters under his breath, annoyed.

"You know what I've been wondering for a while, actually?" Sam says. "How did you find me when I left Texas? I didn't exactly leave a road map."

"Oh, easy," Riot says. "I got the coordinates from your phone and stole some clothes when you were in the bathroom, and then I googled it and took a few busses to get there," Riot says.

"Wow," he says. "I'm... honestly really impressed."

"Don't be," Riot says. "It really was easy. If you want to be impressed about anything, be impressed with the number of times I've followed you without you noticing."

"What do you mean?"

Riot briefly recaps his adventures. He brings up various moments he thought the Winchesters were going to die, how he followed them every time they went anywhere, how he couldn't necessary make it in places like police stations so he'd just wait by the door and listen.

None of that seemed too surprising to Sam, probably because Riot just followed them through a sewer and into a warehouse, so that's pretty self explanatory. There is one thing that gets him, though.

"You were there at the auction?" Sam says. "The black market Word of God auction?"

"Yeah, obviously," Riot says. "I told you. I pretty much followed you everywhere."

"Wait a second." Sam gapes at him. "You're the one that tried to outbid Mrs. Tran, aren't you?"

Riot just nods.

"Were you just going to give us the tablet?" Sam asks.

"Technically, I was going to give Kevin the tablet and then disappear into the night, but yeah," Riot says.

"You were really going to sell your soul for that?"

Riot shrugs. "I liked Mrs. Tran."

Sam scoffs. "Wow, that's..."

"How'd you get in?" Dean asks. "It was invitation only, but I didn't see you walking around with an envelope."

"Your invitation was for five," Riot reminds him. "Beau made sure the doormen let me in."

"And why would he do that?"

"Same reason Plutus chose Mrs. Tran's soul over the entirety of Hell's soul collection, probably," Riot says. "He likes seeing people suffer. I had just tried to tear his throat out that afternoon, after all."

"That's..." Sam shakes his head. "I can't even..."

Riot can't help but smile. This is already going so much better than he'd ever imagined.