Wolf & Coyote Mercenary Services [Looney Tunes AU]

Episode 34: Light of My Life

"It's this time of the year

A very, so merry night we hold dear"

~ Mili "Between Two Worlds - Realm of Light"

~*~*~

Carolers' voices ring through the peaceful streets of Acme City, breaking the solitary silence of the apartment. From the bedroom window, snow falls gently downward, creating a peaceful and cozy ambience.

"Silent night," the carolers sing. "Holy night."

Ralph sits on the bed, pencil and paper on hand. Using his worn bible as an improvised lap desk, he writes.

Dear Father Springer,

How's life going for you? I miss you and Rudy. Not Dad, though; he can go to the same Hell he condemned me to.

These past few months have been pretty crazy, not gonna lie. I got fired from my job at the ¡Arri-Bar!, but that same night I met the most fascinating man: Wile E. Coyote. He was a mangy-looking beast when I stumbled across him, but after a bath and a good meal, he's quite handsome. He's been helping me with my new mercenary business, and we soon started going out together. So he's my partner in more ways than one.

Or he WAS my partner.

We got into a fight. A really bad one. I said something regretful and drove him away. It's been a week now, and I can't find him anywhere in this godforsaken city. What if I lose him forever? I can't afford to lose him! Not because of the business, but because I LOVE HIM!

Father, what should I do? I can only pray so much. I'm sick of praying, I want to DO someth

Ralph crumples up the paper and tosses it aside. "The post office is closed for the holidays, anyway. Calling would make this so much easier. If only the reception there wasn't so sh–"

His cell phone's ringtone chimes suddenly, prompting him to pick it up. "Hey, Sam. What's the update?"

"Still no word on his whereabouts," Sam answers. "You told me earlier he tends to go off on his own without notice. What usually happens after?"

"He'd come back, obviously. Sometimes he'd seem disappointed, other times satisfied. But no matter what, it all comes back to that stupid bird."

"Bird?" There is a hint of apprehension in his tone. "What's this about a bird?"

"It's a long story. Not that it matters anymore. After what I said, he wouldn't want to come back at all."

"That's not true," he states with certainty. "Wile's not the type who'd abandon you on a whim. If anything, he's doing this for the opposite reason."

"Sam, you're not making much sense. Are you drunk on eggnog or something?"

"Have faith in Wiley. He'll come around soon enough."

Eyeing the opened bible and half-finished letter on his nightstand, he mutters sullenly, "Yeah... Faith. Good night, Sam."

"Hold on. It's Christmas Eve. Why don't you come over to my house? It's better than spending it alone."

He looks out the window. The carolers have moved onto the next residence, their voices more distant than before. Hearing the faint festive song, a flicker of hope lights up. "Gimme a few minutes. I'll be there."

***

It's cold. So cold. Even colder than a desert night. It's unbearable.