Wind howled and launched snow across the yard, swirling the qhite crystals arpund before blasting them into any unsuspecting object nearby.

Darnkess had fallen rather quick, the makeshift sun of the underground disappearing hours before it should have.

Any monsters dumb enough to be in this weather were ushered indoors by friends and family, the unlucky ones perished from the cold.

Papyrus stood rigidly in the head quarters for Royal Guards of Snowdin, staring at the window with a glare so icy that even the snow dancing about outside would stop in its tracks.

The building was lit by torches bolted to the walls in their scones, casting flickering light into the shadows that waved wildly when a monster passed.

Papyrus held his hands behibd him, shoulders squared, jaw set, eyes narrowed, a thoughtful expression if any from the skelton worn on his face.

A stocky monster of a lesser heigh approached him, salting and standing tense at his side.

"At ease." Papyrus mumbled, his voice distant. The monstter relaxed, glancing up at him before quickly turning their gaze to the snowstorm beheld in front of them.

"Permission to speak freely?"

"Granted." The monster was silent for some time, searching for the right words as to avoid upsetting the captain.

"I have seen you like this before, sir. Something is troubling you." Papyrus didn't answer, the monster's hand twitched on the hilt of its dagger.

"Is it Sans, sir?" They questioned, inhaling sharply as Papyrus whipped around and held a bone to their neck, menacing snarl set into his mouth. His eyes seemed to drip with the lust for blood, making the monster quiver in their boots.

"Now that you mention it, no." Papyrus returned to his previous postion, the bone vanishing as he began to calmly inspect their enviroment.

The monster trembled but trief to remain calm, their soul flashing in fear in their chest.

After awhile of prolonged silence, Papyrus scoffed, turning from the window.

"What time is it?"

"5- 5:46, sir,"

"I'm leaving. Hold down the fort." The monster jumped and quickly scrambled in front of of  skeleton, holding their hands in front of him to stop him.

"B-but, sir! The conditions are o-only getting worse!" Papyrus pushed them aside like a sack of feathers, stomping toward the door with a determined smirk on his face.

"Then I'll just have to show it who's boss." With that, the skeleton pulled open the heavy, iron enforced door and headed into the snow, his silhouette disappearing within seconds.

The monster watched in distress but knew there was no point in calling for help or for the captian to come back indoors.

"May your soul stay light, Papyrus.." They mumbled into the wind, their words torn apart upon contact and lost to the swilring as they closed the door, the shard of light cast into the snow thinning to a sliver before dissipating into the night.