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Everything in the world was meant to change. That was an universal truth.
A truth for humans, of course, toons were not supposed to change. At least not many knew how to. Road Runner heard of many who tried new things and lost their charm for the sake of staying relevant.
Luckily, that wasn't something he ever cared about.
Road Runner was a simple bird. As long as he had a road to run and his mate chasing him, he didn't need anything else. He had been doing the same thing in the same place every day ever since he met Wile E. and there had never been a day without fun.
How lucky was he to find someone who matched him so perfectly? Wile E. was not much of a talker just like him (he also preferred written signs!), he was persistent, he was incredibly smart, he committed to the routine and yet he surprised Road Runner every day with something new.
Even after Road Runner accepted his courtship offerings, he kept giving him bird seed every day. Other birds would have made their move after the first accepted gift, but Wile E. just understood how Road Runner was wired. That was why after almost seventy seven years, Road Runner knew it was time to take things further.
So, he left a feather for Wile to start their nest together.
They were surely on the same page, after all, that day Wile E. went as far to touch his beak. Obviously, he also craved to take the next step in their courtship.
Yet, that very same night he vanished from view.
It was probably the most confusing, heart-wrenching and excruciating month of Road Runner's life. Sure, it seemed important to the coyote and—as far as he saw in the newspaper—it was kind of a big deal, but his mind couldn't think about anything but one single question: Was he going to come back?
He missed their routine, their games, their fun, their everything. He had always known he loved to spend his day with him, but he never realized how much he hated to spend it without him.
If Wile E. left… he didn't knew how he was supposed to cope with it. He never even considered it a possibility. When roadrunners mated, they mated for life… maybe taking so long in claiming Wile E. was his mistake, but he thought he understood.
Luckily for him, it seemed that he wasn't wrong about that. Wile E. confirmed with tears in his eyes at the trial that he was, indeed, coming back soon. Ah, how could he had ever doubted his mate? He was overjoyed when he saw him finally back in their desert. Back to their routine, to their fun, to him.
Back to how things always were and how were supposed to be.
Except that it wasn't like that.
One day, after not seeing Wile E. around all morning, he decided to check on his cave, his heart dropping when he saw that he was gone.
Not again. Please, not again.
He didn't leave the cave for the whole day, his worried beeps being the only sound keeping him company as he made the base for a nest. As he expected, his furry mate kept the feathers Road Runner had been giving him lately, but he seemed not to know how to make a nest and instead had them piled up in a corner.
Silly coyote, he could have just called him.
He thought that since Wile E. left for presumably another month, as he had last time, he might as well surprise him by having their nest ready. Much to his surprise, Wile E. returned the very next morning.
I went to visit my friends.
Road Runner tried to not wince at the sign Wile E. showed him to explain himself. That wasn't something he anticipated. He quickly wrote a sign in response.
Will that happen again?
Hopefully not. Rarely, in the worst case.
His eye twitched when Wile E. shrugged and pulled a sign saying: Yes, we are going to the beach next weekend. As if he didn't realize the gravity of this issue.
Why was Wile E. doing this? He had never needed friends, he only ever needed Road Runner. Was this his way of protesting over their relationship moving too slowly?
He ignored the other signs his coyote showed him asking him why was he here, focusing on accommodating the nest he had been constructing
"Beep!"
Wile E. looked at him puzzled. Road Runner pulled out a sign. This is how you make a good nest.
Another shrug with a head tilted. Then a finger pointed to his furry chest as if asking if said nest was meant for him to rest.
Road Runner couldn't help but chuckle and let out another pair of beeps, sending the message clear. Who else, silly?
Wile E. looked flustered, but didn't back away. He brought some of his worn-out blankets and a pillow to make the nest more comfortable, going in circles on it for a bit before curling up next to him. Road Runner's heart bursted with joy.
This was how things were supposed to be. Always. Forever.
The coyote was woken up by angry pecks on his face. His confused expression and innocent shrug made Road Runner even more furious. How dare Wile E. act as if he didn't know why he was upset?
"Beep Beep!" he tweeted in rage, showing him the blue sheet with the plan the coyote had drawn for that first time he decided to leave.
It had all the things he was supposed to do when he went to the city, but the thing that sent Road Runner on flames was the last doodle, the seventh step after the court.
Me and Kevin eat together.
How dare he?
How could he dare to include someone else in their game of mouse and cat?
Wile E. always drew out plans to catch him, it was one of the many quirks Road Runner found endearing about him. The dedication to plan every single one of their playdates and how he archived everything… Oh, he loved it. He felt incredibly lucky to have a mate that cherished every moment this much.
To add a stranger into it like this felt sacrilegious.
A stranger who not only was the one who kept Wile E. away for so long in the first place, but also the stranger who kept stealing him from Road Runner even after everything ended.
The frustration and sharp jealousy filled his eyes with tears. It made Wile E. look at him worried (finally, he seemed to take it seriously!) and he hastily pulled out a sign.
I wasn't really going to hurt you. You know I can never actually do it.
Oh, but he did. He was hurting him so much right now.
Forgive me.
Another sign.
Road Runner was starting to think he didn't grasp yet why was he so upset, so he wrote something back.
Why would you include somebody else?
Wile E. blinked, his expression irritably confused again. Road Runner felt like actually crying, so he wrote down the most vulnerable sign he could have ever written.
Do you like him more than me?
The way Wile E. gawked and widened his eyes, similarly to the way he did when he saw Road Runner at the court, was truly a sight. It made him feel better, to know he still could trigger that reaction from Wile E. with a fairly simple act.
He must have looked specially pouty because his coyote jumped him immediately, tackling him to the ground to nuzzle his body like a puppy being given a treat.
Road Runner wanted to chirp in delight, but he held his reaction back to stare at his furry mate with a questioning look again.
Wile E. then leaned to his ear and whispered, "I like you better by a billion times."
And, lord, how come he had never heard Wile's voice?
It was criminal that he would have kept that hidden from him for so long. Road Runner could have melted right there, maybe he did already, Wile E. was smirking at him way too confidently now.
Was that why you were upset?
A sign again. Road Runner pulled out another, his gaze lowered with an unusual shyness on him.
I don't want anything to change.
Humans did. Nowadays many toons did. In a way, he was trying to change his forever dynamic with Wile E. too because he longed to be closer to him, snuggle during the nights, mate, maybe someday add eggs on the picture.
But he didn't want anything to change about the two of them being together forever.
No strange human having Wile E. all to himself for a whole day, let alone a weekend, good lord. No other preys, no other predators. Only Wile E. and him having fun in their own little world. Always the centre of each other's life, always each other's number one and their names always being put together in any carving.
Was that too much to ask?
Wile E. smiled at him, his eyes soothing the turmoil in his belly.
I hope nothing does, either.
Oh?
Another sign.
I just feel lonely sometimes, that's why I go see my friends.
Well, if that was the issue he just had to say it! Road Runner would have rushed to the cave right away. He immediately nuzzled his head under Wile's snout, licking his neck to leave his message clear. I'm here for that, silly.
The wagging tail of the coyote let him know the message was understood and well received.
Road Runner pulled out a little sign.
Happy anniversary, by the way.
He had found out when he was looking around the coyote's stuff and his calendar. Of course, Wile E. would be the type to mark those things in a calendar. It was just another thing that made Road Runner feel that he truly would never want somebody else.
They spent their morning snuggling, leaving the chasing for later that was, as always, the most fun they could ever have.
When Road Runner returned to the cave that night, he not only found his mate already sleeping in their nest, but also a new carving made with claws near the entrance.
A doodle of the two them with a small heart in between.
He beeped in glee and added something else with his own claws.
Forever.