Not What He Seems

Chapter 9

Everyone is crowded around a table outside a diner, Dean chowing down on yet another burger that Riot really wants to jump up and steal from him. Unfortunately, given that Dean already doesn't like him and isn't in a very good mood, he's pretty sure that wouldn't go over well, so instead, he just lies down between Dean and Kevin — because Sam's got healthy food on his plate, and Riot hates healthy food in dog form — and gives them his puppy dog eyes, hoping someone will give him a bite to eat.

"You're kidding, right?" Dean says, snapping Riot out of his burger-induced trance.

"Is it too much to ask if we can swing by and check on my mom?" Kevin asks.

"'Swing by'?" Dean scoffs. "It's a day's drive in the opposite direction! You know that, right?"

"Yes, I understand, we're in a hurry —"

"Okay, well, what's your problem?" Dean asks.

"Channing's broken neck is my problem!"

Riot sits up immediately, startled by the anger in his tone. Kevin's always so nice and calm. He's not sure he likes this.

Dean just looks annoyed, which Riot officially decides is the most obnoxious thing Dean's ever done.

Kevin glances around, then lowers his voice. "I'd rather not see my mom twisted into a corkscrew."

Riot whimpers. The poor kid must be fucking petrified. He's amazed Kevin's keeping it together as well as he is right now.

"Kid's got a point, Dean," Sam says.

"Stay out of this," Dean snaps.

Riot fights the urge to growl at him.

"Kevin, your mom's fine," Dean says.

"How could you possibly know that?" Kevin demands.

"Because Crowley needs her to be."

Riot has since learned that the weird dude in the suit at the church was Crowley, the king of Hell, and, needless to say, it's a little weird to hear Dean say the king of Hell needs some random suburban mom alive, even if he understands why. Dean explains it the same way Riot would have — Crowley needs leverage. He killed Channing, so Kevin's mom is all he has left. Essentially, his mom is bait, probably surrounded by demons ready to grab them both.

"Dean," Kevin says firmly, "my mom's all alone. She's surrounded by demons. Can you really not understand why I want to make sure she's okay?"

Riot looks up at Dean expectantly. If he won't go check on Kevin's mom, Riot's going to have to do some serious nighttime research while everyone's asleep to find her on his own.  He's not sure how he'd tell Kevin, but he'll be damned if he's leaving his mom alone with no contact.

Dean hesitates, but, eventually, throws his burger down on his plate in exasperation. "Fine! Let's go!"

As soon as Dean gets up, Riot jumps up and puts his front paws on the table, reaching his head forward and grabbing the rest of the burger before anyone can stop him.

"Hey!" Dean yells, as if he was going to eat it anyway.

Riot just growls at him.

Dean takes a step back immediately. "Or, you know, you can have it. Whatever."

Sam and Kevin laugh, and Riot feels a pang of pride. Not only did he get to growl at Dean and to eat a burger, but he also made his two favorite humans laugh. Logically, he knows that one little laugh isn't going to make their lives any better, but it's better than nothing.