*explicit language, depression, panic attacks, verbal abuse, hints of owner/pet relationship, past child abuse, self-hatred, self-doubt, self-harm, emotional/psychological abuse, emotional manipulation, mind manipulation, night terrors, suicide attempts, suicide, blood and dust, detailed violence, dirty jokes, etc.

You have been warned. Enjoy yourself, mate.

Papyrus led his patrol through the knee-high snow determinedly, searching the area thoroughly to make sure there was nothing out of place and listening extra hard to hear anything besides the wind rustling the trees. He noticed that wind was getting stronger the longer they went on.

That was more than fine, he's not exactly numb to the cold, but he's adjusted to it after some time and resets. He probably wouldn't feel the cold until it worsened, but he couldn't say the same for his patrol. He really hopes their fur isn't just for show. Or, uh, flames. His patrol consisted of the Dogaressa, Doggo, Greater Dog, and a new recruit.

The new recruit reminded him of Grillby- the bartender of that greasy diner, and he briefly wonders if they're relatives or something. Maybe. It's worth asking about later.

"There's A Snowstorm Coming." he voiced aloud.

Doggo, a lean anthropomorphic dog that could only see movements, glanced in the general direction of the skeleton, eyes squinting and then narrowing respectfully. "Seems so, sir." the dog agreed, sounding worried despite his unwavering scowl.

"(...what do you suggest we do, Deputy?)"

While he shoved a branch aside with his bone staff, the "Deputy" answered, having to raise his voice to be heard above the wind when it suddenly turned its intensity up to a howl. "SPLIT UP."

He finally stopped and turned to his patrol. "DOGGO, YOU HEAD TO YOUR STATION AND GUARD THE AREA THERE. DOGARESSA, KEEP WATCH HERE. DOGAMY MIGHT JOIN YOU IF I KNOW HOW UNDYNE THINKS. GREATER DOG, GO BACK TO THE AREA WITH SNOWPOFFS." the dogs had perked to attention when their names were called and their orders were given. "GOT IT?" he yells.

The dogs in question barked out affirmatives, one quite literally.

"Yes sir!"

"(...of course, Deputy!)"

"Bark!"

Papyrus dismissed them easily with a single hand gesture and they all immediately obeyed, their yips and barks fading as they left. He turned his attention onto the green fire element as she came closer to him, her dark eyes silently questioning why she hadn't gotten an order yet.

He rests the bone staff over his shoulder as he stared her down, perceiving the way her flames seem to quiver in anxiousness at his unnerving silence.

Since she was close enough to hear him without having to shout, he spoke in a quieter voice, "State Your Name."

"Fuku Fire, sir." she answered, and he could admire her bravery. She was nervous, Papyrus could tell, but she didn't shy away. She held her head high and she looked him in the eye sockets.

Now don't go thinking he's being egotistical or anything. Just, well... He has a reputation for a reason, let's just stick with that and not dwell on the subject, alright?

The tall skeleton merely nodded and turned away, continuing his path into the snowy woods. "You Will Patrol With Me For Now." he told her over his shoulder.

Fuku allowed herself to gape at his retreating form in surprise for a moment, uncertain if she should feel nervous or excited by this news. Maybe both. Shaking her head, she hurried to catch up to the second-in-command.

The two continued the patrol in relative silence save for the howling wind, the clanking of armor, and the rustling leaves. They kept talking to a minimum, only speaking when one or the other had a question or et cetera.

It had hit the three-hour mark when the tall skeleton finally asked the question that's been on his mind since she was assigned to his patrol.

Papyrus glanced back at the element as he questions. "Do You Have Any Relatives Nearby?" perhaps he was being a bit too vague... Ah well.

Fuku was ducking under a branch in her path when she answered him, "I don't think so, sir."

"Apologies. You Just Look Like Someone I know."

Perhaps I'm Just Overthinking Things Again. He mused to himself as he checked his puzzle to make sure it was set and ready.

Lately he had gotten a little, er, meaner with his puzzles; he makes them a little more dangerous and a lot less visible. The puzzles wouldn't kill whoever triggered it, (stars forbid) they were designed to capture them without harming them. It would only hurt them if they struggle.

Lately his puzzles had began to work more like traps, and they entirely unimpressive traps. Well, unimpressive to him, anyway.

"Sir?"

Papyrus startled when he was suddenly addressed, and he mentally chastised himself. What if something had happened while he was lost in la-la land? He couldn't afford to let his mind wander during his patrols, it was just too risky. Papyrus looked up at the newest recruit from his crouched position. "Yes Fuku?"

Fuku had been watching him look over his tr- puzzles, having no idea what else she was supposed to do. She was standing and leaning against a small tree nearby.

"I would like to know more about this monster I look similar to." Fuku paused, and then quickly added on; "Only if you're okay with telling me more, of course!"

The deputy stood to his full height, which had long since broken six feet. "No Need For That When We Can Just Go To His Diner." he says, allowing himself a chuckle when the recruit's face lit up. No, literally, her fiery face was definitely glowing brighter now.

~0~

Well then.

Papyrus smiles slightly as he watched the excited interaction between the reunited father and daughter, and to his amusement, their flames were twice as bright as they were before.

Only after they arrived to the diner did the skeleton realize how late it was and how damn tired he was. If the dimming of light in the area was not indication enough of the late hour, there was also the factor that nobody was outside or hanging around inside Grillby's. It didn't really matter to him though. He takes the safety of monsterkind very seriously, as shown by how he always keeps putting in more work and sweat than even Undyne, who knows her limits despite her normal audacity.

He still has a few rounds to complete before he can go home and rest. He still has a job to the monsters. He still has a debt to repay them for letting them all die countless times, him being none the smarter. If only he hadn't been so fucking stupid, he could've saved so much pain, he could've stopped that demon, he could've helped Sans... Yet all he did was have hope they would realize what they're doing is wrong and stop.

He had failed them all by letting his naive ideal that "anyone could be a better person if they tried" get to him.

Shaking his head to clear away the self-hatred so it didn't consume him right then and there, the tall monster began to head for the door to continue his patrol alone since he was pretty sure the two fire elements would want to be left alone now.

A hand grabbing his arm carefully stopped him before he could open the door. He blinked and followed the hand to Fuku, who had long since taken her armor off.

"Sir, where are you going?" Fuku asks with a concerned frown.

He answers, "I Am Going To Finish My Rounds And Then Head Home."

Grillby suddenly appeared at his side, fixing him with an unamused look as he deadpans, "There's a snowstorm outside."

The skeleton looks at the door, then back to the two fires, completely at a loss. "I'm Aware..."

Grillby suddenly began signing to Fuku, and he wasn't going to lie when he said he couldn't understand the flurry of hands and fingers at all. It's been a while since he's read it, he supposed.

They nodded to each other with similarly determined grins, and Papyrus was suddenly wary. Just what had they-

Before that thought could finish itself, his chestplate was being unfastened and taken off by the Royal Guard's newest recruit.

Papyrus squawked in surprise and tried to jerk away from her, but a pair of warm arms wrapped around his (clothed. Don't let your mind go into the gutter) ribs and pinned his arms to his sides. "Let Me Go-"

"Pardon me, Deputy Papyrus," the bartender grins cheekily. "But you aren't going anywhere, not so tired and unprotected."

He violently squirmed as the rest of his armor was taken off, and tried his best to glare at the one holding him so easily. It wasn't exactly a cakewalk to look at someone behind you, though. "I Wasn't 'Unprotected' Before I Came In Here!" he yelps at him.

"Sounds interesting~" Grillby's flames crackled in amusement at the absolutely vexed look on the smooth faceplate. "But you're still not leaving." he states as he begins to drag the taller monster backward, unsurprised when all he got for a struggle was a jerk and some minor squirming. The poor monster was probably very tired.

"But My Rounds-"

Fuku interrupts him, "Undyne will understand!"

"My Brother-"

Now it's Grillby's turn to cut him off, "Sans will be fine."

"But-"

"Hush." Grillby growled beside his ear- or lack thereof. Papyrus squeaked and flushed a bright orange, going completely limp in his arms, his skull flushing further as his reaction earned amused chuckles.

Yeah, that heat in his face wasn't going away anytime soon. And he still needs to make his rounds, but he's so tired... Maybe he can take a little nap?

He starts to nod off as the warmth finally started seeping into his weary bones. He felt safe for the first time in a while...

Papyrus felt so warm...