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Road Runner isn’t sure when he actually realized it.
And by it, he means the thought of losing Wile E. and no longer seeing him. The realization wasn’t really so quick for Road Runner. For a creature so fast that he couldn’t be bothered to stop, his mind is increasingly slow when it comes to things such as feelings, emotions, and probably more words that just mean ‘feelings’—anything synonymous, basically.
Wile E. was gone for almost a whole month, with only a few days of him coming back with humans, taking photos, conversing with them, and such. Road Runner never really cared about that. All he wanted was another chase with his coyote, after all. Humans were just humans, and Road Runner never cared for them much.
They’re squishy and too easy to hurt. They’re not good playmates at all. They aren’t too friendly, either, at least some of them. Eh—overall, Road Runner doesn’t really bother much with humans. It was quite a surprise to see Wile E. hanging out with humans, though, but not much of a surprise for Road Runner to care about them.
He just wanted more of the chasing—which… disappointingly, Wile E. didn’t rise to the bait. It was like he was distracted. And in all the 70 years that Road Runner has known Wile E., he’s never been like this, focused on other things that aren’t him.
It was strange. Weird. Peculiar.
It’s not unwelcome, but it isn’t welcome either. He was busy with the humans.
Now, Road Runner doesn’t really call himself jealous. Was that even the right word? Road Runner shouldn’t feel jealous at all, but that’s the only word that fits the emotion he feels when seeing those humans taking up all of Wile E.’s attention. Wile E. certainly has a life of his own! And Road Runner respects that.
But considering they’ve known each other for so long, why does he not know these human individuals at all?
It was strange!
Road Runner doesn’t care what Wile E. does in his spare time, what extracurricular activities he gets himself into, or what friends he makes along the way. Though he is a little annoyed that Wile E. had completely started slacking in the chasing department.
For almost a whole month, Road Runner had been forced to run by himself, with no familiar coyote chasing behind him, no coyote cooking up strange machines just to be able to catch up to him.
There was no amusement at all.
Road Runner was bored, the emotion he truly despises above everything else. Boredom was something he couldn’t escape, even if he was faster than light and sound itself. It was just there. And Wile E. had always been able to curb that emotion well enough that Road Runner was satiated.
And without him…
Things turned kind of dull.
Road Runner would find himself coming to Wile E.’s cave every day, expecting to hear the familiar whirring of his tools, only to find it empty and quiet. No familiar coyote around with those silly signs that he loves to use, to the point that he’s taught Road Runner to read English simply from how much he’d use them around him.
Visiting his cave turned into sleeping in his cave, making his own makeshift nest close to what he assumes is Wile E.’s nest, with all the papers, blueprints, and random knick-knacks piled close to his workbench.
Road Runner had tried sleeping on it, smelling Wile E.’s scent all around him. It brought him a good deal of excitement and hope that the coyote was coming back, only to realize that it was just Wile E.’s nest and that was why Road Runner could smell him so strongly.
Somehow, that brought a strange, deep emotion to Road Runner’s chest. He hadn’t tried doing it again, instead making his own nest beside it.
There was just too much of Wile E. there. It slightly overwhelmed Road Runner because he was always expecting to see the brown-furred coyote around.
Then there was the ACME thing, which Road Runner didn’t really care about. What he did care about was the fact that he finally knew where his coyote had run off to with his band of human friends.
He didn’t even hesitate at all. The moment his claw met paper and the familiar face of Wile E. came into sight, even with his slightly impaired knowledge of English, Road Runner ran like hell was after his heels toward DC.
He couldn’t exactly explain the elation he felt when he ran inside the large room filled with humans and toons alike. He didn’t care for them; in fact, he didn’t even know what the hell was going on in that room. What he cared about was Wile E. and the question that continued to persist in his mind.
Was Wile E. coming back to him anytime soon? Or was he planning to live here in the city now?
And as much as it pained (maddened) Road Runner to think that if Wile E. chose the latter, he would accept it like the good toon he was.
He didn’t really wait for Wile E.’s response. The tears in his eyes were probably enough of an answer for him. Road Runner knew Wile E. wasn’t a toon who easily cried, after all. Whatever Road Runner had walked into must have had such a big impact on Wile E. for him to respond like that.
It was the same for Road Runner, of course. With Wile E. coming back, Road Runner ran faster than he ever could back home, all the way back to Wile E.’s cave, and rested there to wait for his coyote. He rested there and waited.
Waited for a few days, long enough to realize a few things about these strange happenings.
Road Runner couldn’t, after all, cope with losing his dearest coyote. And remembering that human’s question to him made him realize something about himself and Wile E.’s response to his return.
Road Runner had not been a good toon and dearest friend to the coyote, after all. Wile E. certainly did not know that Road Runner cared very much about him—sure, it had taken him quite some time and a lot of zigzags of realizations to understand what he was feeling and what he was supposed to be feeling. But all he knew was that he cared very much for his dear coyote and would much rather prefer having Wile E. with him, here in New Mexico.
Preferably forever, where he could chase Road Runner forever.
When Wile E. came back, Road Runner had already packed up his temporary nest and moved his things out of the cave before the coyote could find out that Road Runner had been using it as his nest during the days he had been away. Road Runner wasn’t really sure how the other would react to it, but he didn’t want to impose too much on Wile E., who had just come back from a long trip.
Road Runner was just really glad that he was back, so he’d gone easy on him for the past few days.
Which wasn’t much really, it was in fact just the bare minimum. At least for Road Runner.
Road Runner had just slowed his normal pace enough for his coyote to be able to graze his claws against Road Runner’s tail feathers a few times.
Then, a week later, Road Runner had started leaving food at the mouth of Wile E.’s cave, just as an appreciation for his dear coyote and a thank-you for coming back to him. What could he say? He was just glad that, in the end, Wile E. had chosen him and not the humans he had met in the city or the toons in that large room.
He’d leave roadkill, rodents, bugs, anything he could find that would at least fill Wile E.’s stomach on a cold night. Road Runner wished he could offer his own presence to the coyote, but he still wasn’t quite sure if his Wile E. would accept that.
While his coyote was a gentleman himself, Road Runner knew well that he certainly had pride in certain things, and Road Runner was pretty sure Wile E. would think he was trying to one-up him.
Which Road Runner certainly wouldn’t! Out of all the things he would do to Wile E., it would never be for the bad! He appreciated and cared too much about his coyote to do that, of course!
[...]
Wile E. isn’t really sure how to take this new change with Road Runner. I mean… the toon certainly had changed in such a strange way—not really bad, but strange enough that Wile E. would often find himself thinking more about the bird instead of thinking about a plan to trap the bird. It was strange, weird—it was… whatever. He doesn’t even know what to call it.
For a genius, he feels a bit stupid trying to understand what Road Runner is trying to get at. It hasn’t even been a month since he’s been back from the stupid lawsuit against ACME, and Road Runner’s already getting all strange, soft, mushy—every word that is a bit embarrassing to mention is happening with him.
And Wile E. doesn’t even know what to make of it! Sure, it makes his heart flutter, his chest warm, his tail wag. And for so long, he hasn’t felt that void like hunger in his stomach. (And it certainly isn’t the bugs that he knows Road Runner is leaving in front of his cave every day and night.)
Is it because Road Runner is purely showing his care for Wile E.?
Is it even care? Or is Road Runner trying to get at something that Wile E. doesn’t understand? Wile E. isn’t even sure anymore. He can’t say he doesn’t like it, but it brings new emotions inside him that sometimes leave him pained whenever he chases after the other and (pretends) he wants to have him for dinner.
In fact, today is one of those days when Wile E. finds his own stomach churning with guilt for wanting—no—needing to chase after Road Runner when he knows damn well that he’s already full from the breakfast Road Runner had left him at the crack of dawn.
He has no need to hunt at all, with Road Runner leaving him food every day like he wants to fatten him up and serve him for dinner. (Which is strange, considering Road Runner is a bird and Wile E. is a coyote. He knows which is the prey and which is the predator between the two of them.)
He really has no need to chase after the Road Runner at all today—he really doesn’t. He’s full. He’s so full he could probably sleep for a whole month and still be full for the next few. That’s how much he’s been eating. He doesn’t even eat every day, but with Road Runner around, he’s being fed twice a day. It might be the reason why he’s getting a bit slower.
Thankfully, it doesn’t seem to offend Road Runner at all. In fact, it even looks like he gets more and more excited. Wile E. isn’t sure if it’s because he’s getting slower, and that’s why Road Runner is getting excited.
Oh well… It is strange… but then again, Wile E. is the one winning between the two of them. As much as it makes him guilty, maybe he should consider taking this day as another day off from chasing the Road Runner. Give him a breather, maybe. Road Runner will definitely see this as a win.
So that’s what Wile E. did for today.
He remade his bed to be much more comfortable and softer, using a few feathers from Road Runner that the bird had been leaving along with the food he’d been giving Wile E. He had stuffed them inside a dented pillowcase, which had definitely improved the fluffiness and softness.
Now Wile E. finds himself curled up in front of his television, curled up like a comfortable coyote, his tail thumping slightly as he drowsily watches a human man fall and slip as he tries to jump on a bouncy ball to get to the other side.
Wile E. sniffs and snorts a bit. He can definitely do that easily. In fact, he can show off and flip thousands of times midair and still be able to land on both of his feet easily, humans are so useless—!
There is a faint rumbling as Wile E., who had been one step away from falling asleep into a food coma, raises his head in alarm. His ears pin down as he glances toward the mouth of his cave, seeing dust gathering from afar—
Beep! Beep!
Road Runner stands by the mouth of the cave, letting out loud beep beeps repeatedly. If Wile E. had a wooden door, he certainly knows the bird would be pecking at it repeatedly until Wile E. relents.
Good lordy, what does he want now? This might be the first time Road Runner has completely shown up right in front of his cave. Wile E. lets out a small snort and stands up, letting out a confused growl at Road Runner, whose eyes light up the moment he sees Wile E. coming out of his cave.
Wile E. tries to ignore how that sends his stomach churning, like a dozen flying moths inside his stomach have decided to wake up at the same time and fly around.
[WHAT IS IT?] Wile E. brings out a sign and shows it to Road Runner, who barely looks at it, completely and intensely staring at Wile E. like the coyote had done something wrong. His tail feathers fluff up a bit as Road Runner lets out a disappointed Beep beep, which means, ‘Where were you? I was waiting for you at the hill!’ followed by a loud snort coming from his bill. His chest feathers fluff up, and his claw paws at the ground underneath him like an annoyed mother hen, making Wile E. let out a confused sound at that.
[IT’S MY DAY OFF] Wile E. flips his sign as Road Runner finally reads what’s written there, then glances at Wile E., then back at the sign, then at Wile E. again before letting out a huff. He lets out a loud Beep beep! That means, ‘You didn’t tell me. Are you hurt? Sick? What is wrong? What is the day off for?’ and scuffs his claws against the ground repeatedly to make a point. At this point, Wile E. is worried he’s going to make a hole underneath himself if he keeps doing that.
[I AM A. OKAY] Wile E. takes out another sign and gives Road Runner a thumbs up, then flips the sign around. Though he hesitates a bit—before he remembers the moment when Road Runner had quite literally admitted that they were friends. Surely Road Runner wouldn’t laugh at him for admitting this small weakness of his, right?
Wile E. is a prideful coyote—at least, not as prideful as his dad, but prideful enough that he isn’t willing to easily reveal so much information about himself… But he’s never really had a friend to actually do all of that with—and since Road Runner had branded himself as one… Surely a friend like him wouldn’t judge him too much, right?
[I JUST THINK I HAVE BEEN DOING TOO MUCH CHASING] He finally turns the sign fully toward Road Runner, who had moved closer to look at it.
Wile E. feels himself flush at how close the bird is to his face. He’d never gotten this close to the other, and he’s a little worried that maybe his own instincts would take over and he’d reach over, grab his neck, and maul him right there and then—but for some strange reason, that same void-like hunger is just… not there anymore.
How? And why? And what was it even? It couldn’t be actual hunger, right, if it made him feel devoid of emotions every time he felt it?
Road Runner then leans back, tilting his head as he lets out a series of beeps. ‘What does that mean? Too much chasing? There is no too much chasing, silly! You’re a funny coyote, aren’t you?’ Road Runner’s eyes crinkle a bit as he ruffles his feathers to show his amusement toward the other, making Wile E. blush, flustered by Road Runner’s teasing.
This little—
[IT’S NOT LIKE THAT] He shows the sign to Road Runner again, then brings out a new one. [I AM SIMPLY NOT HUNGRY] He turns the sign around. [AT LEAST NOT TODAY OR THE NEXT, YOU HAVE BEEN FEEDING ME TOO MUCH]
Wile E. flushes a bit as he admits that, and Road Runner lets out a confused beep at that, cocking his head and blinking his eyes.
Beep beep? ‘Feeding you too much? It’s not enough! You are still skinny! Don’t be silly. Food around here isn’t enough. How can you be full?’
[YOU DO KNOW I DON’T NEED TO EAT EVERY DAY] Wile E. gave him a deadpan look and a huff. [BESIDES, I AM NATURALLY SKINNY. I CANNOT RUN AFTER YOU IF I EAT EVERY DAY!!! I’M BECOMING SLOWER!!!!] Wile E. tapped his claw on the sign at that to emphasize his point, making Road Runner tilt his head to the other side, letting out a confused beep. ‘Your health matters more to me than the chase, though I do prefer the chase to happen every day. But I cannot enjoy it if you are not at your fullest potential! It’s not fair to you.’
Wile E. blushed at that.
Road Runner cared that much? He had expected that the other was at least planning something crazy—or maybe a way to get back at him. He doesn’t know how, but he’s just naturally suspicious like that. He can’t help it. His father had taught him to be that way, and it’s hard to unlearn years of teaching even if almost a hundred decades had passed.
[THAT’S STRANGELY CARING OF YOU] Wile E. waved the sign a bit at that as Road Runner let out an excited beep beep, his claws pawing at the ground again as he wiggled his tail feathers, lowering his head a bit and bobbing it up and down excitedly. Like he wanted to play—better yet, like he was asking Wile E. to chase him. Wile E. sighed, flipping his sign over. [NOT TODAY. DAY OFF. YOU SHOULD TAKE A DAY OFF TOO]
Road Runner stood up straight at that, reading the sign intensely before looking at Wile E. with a strange gaze, like he was trying to burn Wile E. with his eyes, which sent Wile E. sweating a bit.
[YOU’VE DONE A LOT FOR ME FOR THE PAST FEW WEEKS] Wile E. brought out another sign. [THANK YOU FOR THAT. THIS ALSO MEANS YOU NEED A REST]
He flipped it as Road Runner pawed the ground again. He’d been pawing at it repeatedly, to the point that he was actually creating a dent in the ground, his claws making marks on the sand and stone underneath.
[RUNNING IS TIRING, RIGHT?] Wile E. tilted his head, his ears flicking to the side a bit when a breeze passed. Road Runner looked at him, letting out a loud beep beep. ‘Not tiring if it’s you who is chasing after me.’
And for some strange reason, it brought heat to Wile E.’s face when Road Runner said it—just like when the other had quite literally asked him if he was still coming back with him in front of countless people, plus the media, like he didn’t care at all what others thought of him. A bird, a prey, asking a coyote, a predator, if he was still coming back to continue chasing after him.
[FAVORITE PASTIME, HUH?]
Wile E. meant it as a joke, of course. He did not see Road Runner as a pastime himself, but instead as an actual work—according to Kevin, anyway. He never really saw it as work, more like… something more than that? He doesn’t know what word fits chasing Road Runner—
‘You are not a pastime! In fact, you are my favorite time of all!’ Road Runner said it with so much conviction, poking out his tongue as he excitedly let out a series of beeps. Wile E. almost dropped his sign onto his food, fumbling to catch it as he coughed in confusion.
Why does Road Runner say it like that?
Beep beep? Road Runner tilted his head when he saw the strange look on Wile E.’s face after he’d said those words. ‘Did I say something wrong? Do you think I am lying to you?’
Why does Road Runner have to be so straightforward? It wasn’t something new. Wile E. had always known Road Runner was strangely forward. He’s the type of toon that you wouldn’t really choose for a conversation.
One, Road Runner never stops for a conversation, and two, much like how he moves and runs, he is straightforward. He does not dilly-dally, does not joke around, doesn’t even go around the topic. Whatever is on his mind will be said right away, without pause.
Wile E. doesn’t think he lies, either, considering his responses are just very straightforward after all. No cherry-picking, no making things sweeter. It’s just as is.
Sure, their conversations have been rare for the past decades. And this might be the only time they’ve spoken to each other with more words than Wile E. can count on his two paws and feet. But there’s just one thing he knows about Road Runner:
He’s just very straightforward.
[NO] Wile E. showed the sign embarrassedly as Road Runner barely paid it any mind, getting closer suddenly as Wile E. froze—something he’d never done before. In fact, he’d never frozen in the face of anyone at all. Whether it be a toon or a human, or even a predator toon much larger than him, or a train moving at Mach speed.
He doesn’t freeze. But for some reason, the moment Road Runner got close, he froze. Why?
Road Runner then seemed to get closer and closer to Wile E.’s personal space, seeming to sniff something on him, around his shoulders, his chest, and his neck. Wile E. moved back, raising a sign, his face red. [STOP! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?]
Road Runner just tilts his head, letting out a series of beeps. ‘It’s just been so long since I smelled your scent. You’re always too far away from me. I admit, I miss it very much! If you don’t mind, may I enter your cave? You did say I should take a rest for this day, so if it’s alright with you, can I instead rest here?’ And he had the gall to widen his eyes, tilting his head like a lost puppy—which does not make sense, because Road Runner is NOT a puppy at all, but humans always do like to use that expression, and it just fits Road Runner at the moment.
[WHAT?!] Wile E. practically slaps the sign onto Road Runner’s face in shock. He quickly flips it around. [YOU WANT TO REST HERE? INSIDE MY CAVE? WHY?]
Road Runner’s reply is much faster than Wile E. expects from him. ‘Why not? Believe it or not, during the long time that you’ve been gone, I have been using your cave as my nest. It is very nice here. It’s colder than my own nest, in fact.’ The way Road Runner says it is almost proud, as Wile E. lets out the loudest, most confused whine at that, his ears falling down.
Road Runner had been using his cave as his resting area? H-Huh?! How? When? Where—wait, no, he already knows where. WHY?!
[HUH?] Wile E. waves his sign as Road Runner just cocks his head sideways once more, letting out a small beep. ‘What’s wrong?’
[WHAT’S WRONG? YOU JUST ADMITTED TO SLEEPING HERE.] Wile E. has to write that one down on a new sign, showing it to Road Runner, who merely shrugs and shakes his head, not really seeing the problem. Wile E. writes down on the other side of the sign furiously. [WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT? WHAT FOR?]
He shows the sign to Road Runner, who looks at it again, reading it properly. Then he lets out a series of beeps. ‘I missed you.’
Wile E. drops his sign at that, the wood stabbing into his big toe, but he can barely even feel it as Road Runner steps back, tilting his head side to side, looking down at the sign. He lowers his head to pick it up with his bill before handing it back to Wile E.’s paw.
‘Did I say something wrong?’ Road Runner tilts his head again, but Wile E. doesn’t respond right away, still a little shell-shocked at the fact that Road Runner quite literally just admitted that he had missed Wile E.
…He had missed Wile E…. He missed…. Wile E.?
Suddenly, Wile E. snaps out of it when Road Runner passes by his shoulder, his claws making loud padding noises against the stone floors of the cave. The bird beelines towards Wile E.’s bed, which is stationed in front of the television, flopping on top of the soft plush, tucking his legs underneath him and curling up, leaving a large space for Wile E. to lie beside him.
Wha—?
What?
Wile E. follows to look, staring down at the bird that’s supposed to be his prey—that he’s supposed to eat, by the way, on a silver platter, cooked. Also the same prey that is willingly walking inside the lion’s den and laying down in front of him like he isn’t one step away from being turned into lunch.
Road Runner raises his head, looking up at him, blinking as if he’s expecting Wile E. to follow. Beep beep? ‘Aren’t you joining me?’
Road Runner then pecks at the space beside him as Wile E. practically falls on his face while he curls up beside the bird, his tail stiff as he tries to find a comfortable angle and area on his bed. He turns around again and again, pawing at the plush to make a dent where he can comfortably sit, while Road Runner just lies there, watching him turn, and turn, and turn.
Eventually, the area is warm enough and flattened enough for Wile E. to lie down, his tail flopping over Road Runner’s by accident. Wile E. moves his tail back, which is then engulfed by Road Runner’s tail feathers as they flop over his. Road Runner lowers his head onto Wile E.’s shoulder and closes his eyes.
Wile E. freezes at that, unsure what to do. Is he sleeping? Wait, no—is he seriously willingly sleeping with Wile E. around? Is that even possible? In fact, is that even right? Why is Road Runner trusting him with his life—a coyote, a predator?
Wile E. pokes Road Runner with a singular claw, and Road Runner opens a single eye to look at him, looking slightly annoyed.
[WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?] Wile E. brings out a sign as Road Runner opens his other eye to read it fully. For a moment, he just kind of blinks. Then he glances at Wile E.
Beep beep. ‘Do you not want me to?’
He tilts his head as Wile E. blusters at that. He didn’t say anything about not wanting it! He was just asking. He makes his point by glaring at Road Runner, who lets out a laughing beep at his reaction. ‘Does it always have to have meaning? Just because something good is being done to you does not mean there are things connected to it. You are my dearest coyote, of course I will do it for you.’
Oh.
Oh…
[OH] Wile E. raises another sign in mild shock as Road Runner’s eyes crinkle a bit at his reaction, looking mildly amused by it. [I DIDN’T KNOW…] Wile E. flips his sign around as Road Runner lets out a small beep at that. ‘Do you have to? It isn’t so recent that I realized I have not been the best to you.’ Road Runner’s eyes look sad as he looks down, letting out a soft, sad beep, and Wile E. startles, feeling a bit strange at seeing Road Runner looking sad. The other has always been quite jolly between the two of them, after all.
[I DON’T THINK THAT’S TRUE?] Wile E. brings out a new sign, before adding a question mark at the end because he never really felt like Road Runner had been a bad toon to him at all, as Road Runner just lets out a sigh, shaking his head. ‘Oh, but it is. I’ve only recently come to realize that, in those weeks that you have been gone, you have been quite a permanent mark in my life, and not once have I shown that I appreciate you for it. You made my life less boring and dull! I thank you for that.’
Road Runner says it with so much emotion that Wile E. can’t even stop the tears from pooling in his eyes, sniffing loudly as he drops his sign and sobs onto Road Runner’s wings. Road Runner lets out a soft coo, rubbing his bill against Wile E.’s cheek repeatedly. It’s so gentle that Wile E. can’t help but cry and sob even more.
Road Runner easily gathers him up into his wings and moves him into a more comfortable position, where Wile E. finds his snout buried against Road Runner’s neck—which should send his stomach rumbling and his mouth watering. But instead, all the water just goes to his eyes as he lies there, feeling appreciated and loved by the person he least expected it from.
For once, there is no hunger, but instead an interesting flutter in his stomach that makes him want to jump off a cliff and actually—actually believe that the fluttering will help him soar through the skies.
Now what in the world does that even mean, anyways? Oh well, Wile E. can only be bothered about it next time. Maybe tomorrow. For now, he’s very much comfortable having Road Runner wrapped around him like a protective blanket.