Written By: BlueEyedFoxGirl
Fanart By: June Royal

Setting the Stage: Aha! Finally, a oneshot where I get to use the 'Setting the Stage' section! :-D
So. Once upon a time, in one of the many chapters in WTSM, I made an allusion to a time that Reader-chan got lost on her way to Snowdin. Well, SOMEONE ANSWERED MY PROMPT! This would have happened after the events of "Nooses and Knives" at some point, when she first tried to walk to Snowdin on her own.  

Your Perspective

It's the first time that you're walking alone on your way to Snowdin Town. Right now you're walking along a snowy path, listening to the satisfying crunching sound your shoes make every time you plant them on the snow. You're planning on joining Sans and Papyrus for dinner this evening. Originally, Frisk was going to come too (it was her idea, actually), but she wasn't feeling very well this morning, and Toriel made it very clear that she wasn't to leave the house under any circumstances. So you gave the bros a call and wanted to cancel dinner, but Papyrus insisted that, you at least should come over to join them. Not wanting to disappoint your new friends, you accepted. And so... here you are. Walking through the snow. Alone. Even though you'd made sure to ask Frisk for directions before you left, it's a little difficult for you to remember the exact way to the Skelebros' House. You never really paid much attention to it while you was walking with Frisk, and you've already forgotten which way she told you to go. She always seemed so confident as the two of you traveled that you usually just blindly trusted her and went wherever she said to go.

I guess that's what I get for being lazy and not trying to draw a map, or something.

While you're walking beside the forest, a tiny path through the trees catches your eye. It's obvious that it isn't the way to Snowdin, but you're curious where it goes. You still have time, so why not explore it? If it turns out to be a secret path to a cave or something like that, you could show it to Frisk when she gets better. You're sure she would love that. Setting one foot in front of the other, you leave the beaten path and wander into the forest. As soon as you enter, you begin to marvel at the size of the trees and the contrast that the dark tree trunks make against the snow. Snowflakes are dancing through the trees, like little fairies riding on the wind. Completely in awe at the beauty of nature, you continue deeper into the forest. You wander around admiring your surroundings, too absorbed in looking around to go in any specific direction.

After a while, the trees stop and reveal a huge cliff. It seems to stretch out across the whole Underground—you can't even see its ends. Trees extend as far as the eyes can see, and everything is coated in snow. It's a breathtaking view, and it makes the whole tangent totally worth it.

I definitely have to show this to Frisk. I'm sure she would love this.

Completely stunned by your discovery, you sit down on a nearby tree stump and relax, taking in the calming atmosphere of the forest around you.

You don't know how long you've been sitting here, but before long, you could feel the wind getting stronger. You shiver at a sudden gust of wind, and try in vain to shield your skin from the piecing cold.

I should really get going.

You stand up and start to walk back the way you came from.

Every moment you're out here, the snowflakes become thicker, and the trees are starting to make ominous cracking sounds from the strong wind. Your footprints from before are already fading into nothingness. A strong gust of air takes you by surprise, and nearly knocks you of your feet. Luckily you're standing next to a tree, and managed to catch yourself before you land face first in the snow. The wind is howling mercilessly and it's already getting dark. Thick bundles of snowflakes, which were nothing but delicate little beauties not too long ago, are thrown against your face, causing you to squint your eyes to try and protect them from the freezing cold. Searching for support, you lean on a nearby tree and try to remember which way you came from. Your footprints are completely gone by now, and your phone battery is dead.

Of course it's empty, you think angrily. Then you sigh. Luck may not be on your side, but it's not as if this was completely out of your control.

"I never should have gone this far into the woods by myself," you tell yourself.

But that doesn't matter right now. I have to keep on moving!

You try to motivate yourself trough chattering teeth.

I have to do this for Frisk, Toriel, Sans, Papyrus and everybody else. I will make it back!

Stepping into the storm fills you with DETERMINATION.

Sans' Perspective

The storm is getting stronger. It's already hard to see the other side of the street from our window.

Where's (Y/N)? She should already be here.

I pace around the living room in circles like a caged animal. It's getting really bad out there, and I can't get the idea out of my head that I should go look for her.

What if she got lost in the storm? Should I go look for her? No... No, I'm sure she's fine. I'm just imagining things. ...Right?

Uncertain of what I should do, I continue my pacing until Papyrus interrupts me.

"BROTHER, IF YOU DO NOT INTEND TO REDECORATE OUR LIVING ROOM WITH CIRCLES, I SUGGEST THAT YOU STOP THIS ACTIVITY. WHILE I'VE ALWAYS ADVOCATED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY ON YOUR PART, THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY WHAT I HAD IN MIND..."

I stop and look up at him.

"Oh...yeah. Sorry bro."

I don't want him to catch me worried, so I throw in a pun with a big smile pasted on my face.

"I was just trying to recreate the circle of life in our living room."

Papyrus sighs in annoyance, but still doesn't look quite convinced by my act. He continues, and this time in a more serious tone.

"SANS, I SUGGEST THAT YOU STOP THIS NONSENSE AND HELP ME WITH DINNER INSTEAD. I'M SURE THERE IS NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT."

I sigh.

He's right, I'm acting ridiculous. I'm sure everything's fine.

"Sure Pap."

Your Perspective

You don't think you've ever been this cold before. You're fighting through the storm, your hands wrapped around your body to keep what little body heat you have left from escaping. You're moving on pure determination right now—without it, you'd throw in the towel. Every time you take a step forward, a strong wind blows you back. You have to stop every now and again just to keep yourself from being pushed over. Though if you're being honest, laying down really seems like a great idea right now. You're so tired... but you know that you can't allow yourself a moment to rest. It'll be over if you do. You'd be buried in the snow, frozen, dead, and forgotten. And so you keep on fighting against the merciless snow storm, with the howling wind as your only companion.

How is it even possible for a fricking snow storm to be raging through a cave?!

You can't think of a logical explanation. The Underground's weather is an enigma to you.

I can worry about that later. Maybe Sans can tell me more about it.

Your thoughts are interrupted by another powerful gust of wind. It throws tiny ice particles against your already tired legs, and you have to lean into it so that you're not blown away. When the gust of wind finally gets weaker, you sigh in relief and your whole body begins to shiver again. You really wish you'd put on more clothes this morning. Absentmindedly, you began to picture warm places, longing for roaring fires and toasty kitchens. Among those daydreams is, of course, the Skelebro's house. Even though they're skeletons, their house is always warm and welcoming.

I wish I would've just stayed on the path. I'm sure Sans is already picking out some puns for my arrival. He'll probably say something like: 'Hey, you look really ice today.' Ha. Yeah, that sounds about right.

During your inner monologue, the wind tugs at the few pieces of cloth that protect your body from the desolate cold.

I wish Sans was here. I'm sure he would know what to do.

Sans' Perspective

The wind is rattling on the windows, and keeps on throwing snow against the fragile glass. Nobody's out on the streets. Everyone's safe in their homes, tucked away in a warm blanket with nothing to worry about. Everyone, except for (Y/N). It's ten past nine and I'm sitting at the dining table with Pap. I'm anxiously checking the clock every few seconds, like it would magically make her appear more quickly. I'm rapidly tapping my boney fingers on the table, making it visible to the outside world that I'm losing my nerves. Paps is also starting to change from his old bubbly self to a more serious and concerned tone. I'm watching him from the corner of my eye, while he first glances at the clock and then looks over at me.

"SANS, SHOULDN'T (Y/N) BE HERE BY NOW?"

I slam my fist against the kitchen table.

Okay, that's it I'm going.

I quickly stand up and march to the front door.

"Paps, I'm going to look for (Y/N)."

I hear Papyrus get up, and he catches up to me rather easily.

"I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL ALSO ASSIST IN THE SEARCH FOR THE ELDER HUMAN."

Of course he wants to help. But I don't want to have to worry about him when I'm out there looking for (Y/N).

"No. Pap, listen. I need you to stay here and watch over the house."

"...I DON'T LIKE THIS IDEA."

Come on Paps, please don't make this difficult for me.

"But what if (Y/N) comes here, and we're both gone? She'd be worried sick. Well... if the cold didn't already catch her."

Oh god it's a really bad time for this... but I really don't want Paps to come along.

Papyrus doesn't seem to acknowledge my joke, and just looks at me with a mixture of concern and defeat.

"I... I GUESS I'LL WATCH OVER THE HOUSE."

"Thanks Paps. I'll be back with (Y/N) before you snow it."

This time Paps makes a face, but I teleport out of the house before he can say anything.
I love Pap, more than anything else... but I don't want him out here in this storm. It'd also be way faster if I search for her alone with my Teleportation Magic. I teleport myself to the entrance of Snowdin town, and as soon as my feet touch the ground, I'm bombarded with a mixture of snow and ice. Even though I'm a skeleton, I'm chilled to the bone. ...I don't even want to imagine what (Y/N) is going through.

I teleport again, and this time I'm in front of the nearest entrance to the woods before Snowdin. The trees are shaking dangerously in the howling wind. A mixture of snow and ice is covering the under part of the trees and is thrown around by the wind in complete chaos. The swirling snow shrouds the forest in a kind of mist, and only serves to make it more unnerving.

I have to find her quickly.

I start walking through the trees, the storm constantly trying to push me back from whence I came.

"(Y/N)!"

"(Y/N), can you hear me?!"

No answer. My blue eye illuminates the space around me, helping my visibility a little bit. It's not much of a help, though. The storm is almost actively trying to get in my way, wind and snow pushing me back, and dangerously swaying trees threatening to fall over. I can almost imagine that it's alive—the howling wind sounds almost like a monstrous creature that's laughing at my pitiful attempts to find her.

When a strong gust of wind comes up, I teleport myself forward and use an arm to help shield myself from the ruthless weather. I'm driven by the thought that she's out here on her own, with nothing to protect herself from the storm.

I should have gone looking for her way earlier. Why did I wait so long?

"(Y/N), where are you?!"

I call out to her over and over again, but there's no response. With each passing minute, I'm growing more afraid.

Where is she? What if she's hurt, and can't move? What if the wind blew her of a cliff? What if she's... No, I can't think about that. I just have to concentrate on finding her.

I'm readying myself to teleport again, but then I notice something strange. A royal blue glow. It's not my eye—the light is too strong. I pause for a moment and look down at myself. My... my soul. It's shining through my shirt. My initial reaction is to be embarrassed, but... that doesn't make sense. There's nothing about that situation that would turn me on—just the opposite, in fact.

I'm about to keep moving—showing soul of not, I have to find (Y/N)—when I notice something else. It's like... a sound. Or maybe a vibration? I can sense it even against the shrieking of the wind. It's like a song, with small vibrations in the place of musical notes. And, for some reason... this particular song seems... familiar.

"What the...?"

Monsters have always had the innate ability to sense when a soul is nearby, but... it's normally not something that we can actually hear or physically feel. Normally, it's just a gut feeling, or the strange realization that someone's looking at you. But for some reason, I can actually hear it. A soul. And if there's a soul out in this weather, then there's a good chance...

(Y/N)!

I keep moving forward, and the song of the soul grows just a tiny bit louder. It's so... I can't even describe it. It's beautiful, breathtaking even. If it really is her, then I'm not surprised. A beautiful soul song to go along with an equally beautiful person—inside and out.

Get your head out of the clouds! I scold myself. I shake my head to clear it, and then continue following the sound. I have to find her.

With nothing but the glow of my soul and distant music to guide me, I struggle deeper into the forest, fighting against the wind with every step.

Your Perspective

"Hello? Can anybody hear me?!"

You call out for help... but nobody came.

You're starting to lose your senses. The feeling in your fingers and toes is long gone, and your vision is also slowly getting blurrier.

"Help! Anybody!"

If I don't find help soon then... then... No, I can't think about that. I will get out of here.

"Help!"

You keep shouting into the darkness, but the only answer you get is the harsh feeling of the cold wind whipping against your cheeks. It's so cold that it feels like tiny needles are piercing your skin with every step you take. Your legs are too tired to complain anymore. They're completely numb, and clumsily obey your commands to keep walking to the best of their ability. Determination is the only thing that's keeping you going. ...You're so tired...

"Hello?!"

No answer. Despair is slowly overwhelming you.

"Hello...?" you whisper quietly.

You just want this to be over. You don't know how long you can keep going. You feel treacherous little tears slowly make their way into your eyes.

I'm such an idiot...

You stop walking and quietly begin to sob. The wind shows no concern for your emotional break down, and keeps shoving you back and forth with its cold claws. Your legs are shaking, and you don't know what you should do. You can't keep this up any longer.

I... I don't know if I...

You shake the thought off, and keep walking straight through the menacing storm. And even though you're trying to stay positive, you can feel yourself getting weaker with each step you take. If you don't find somebody soon...

In one final attempt, you call out for help.

Sans' Perspective

The soul's song is getting louder and louder, and it's intoxicatingly beautiful sound is flowing through my mind and soul. It's like an entire chorus of angels, all singing in harmony with one another. I'm having a hard time concentrating on my goal with such a beautiful melody to distract me, but I don't give up. I lean into the wind, determination driving me forward. I NEED to find the source of that sound. Suddenly, another sound breaks through the howling wind.

"Help!"

I stop in my tracks, and look around like a maniac.

Was that (Y/N)? I'm sure I didn't imagine it. Yeah, it's gotta be her!

"(Y/N)!" I call.

I desperately wait for an answer, or any sign from her that she's alive. Her soulwaves are loud and clear in my head, but... a human soul can hang around after death, so...

"(Y/N), where are you!?"

Seconds feel like hours while I wait for her to respond. Bundles of snow are thrown against me, but I don't care. All that matters right now is to hear her voice again.

"Help!"

There it is—it's her. Her weak voice echoes through the near darkness, strained and unsteady. I continue following the sound of her soul, and keep calling out to her in hopes that she can help guide me to her.

"(Y/N)!"

"Sans!"

We keep on calling out to each other, her soul and the light of my own guiding me through the darkness. Both her voice and her soul are getting louder, even if the wind is drowning out most of it. Then, far of in the distance, a silhouette appears. I immediately know it's her, and go into a dead sprint. She must have caught sight of me, too, because she picks up her pace.

"Sans!"

"(Y/N)!"
The storm is raging all around us, but we just keep moving towards each other, not even giving a second thought to the storm.

When we are just a few meters away from each other, the outline of my soul disappears, leaving us only with our eyesight to see. When we finally embrace each other, it feels like a huge bolder is being lifted from my shoulders.

I found her.

We stand there unfazed by the storm and hug each other, just glad for the other one to be there. I want to stay like this forever, but I soon realize how much she's trembling. I break the embrace and examine her.

Her entire body is shaking, and her hair is being thrown around by the wind. She's completely covered in snow and tiny ice particles that are stuck on her clothes. She looks like she's been through an icy hell, but she still has that gorgeous smile on her lips.

"It's i-i-ice to s-see you," she squeezes out through chattering teeth. Hearing her speak like that, with so much difficulty, is like a punch to the face. But I still manage to put on a smile for her.

"Heh, ice one. I would say the same, but considering the situation we're in, I would rather say: Bad to see you here."

Even though (Y/N)'s surely at her limit, she still manages to giggle a little at my joke. Then I realize how close we're standing, and I feel a tiny blush growing on my face.

Oh man, not now.

To hide it from her, I brush off my hoodie and wrap her tightly in it. While doing so, I notice how red her cheeks and nose are.

I should get her inside quickly.

"I don't know about you, but I've had enough of this forest. I'm going home. Do you wanna come too, or would you rather stay here and enjoy the beauty of nature a little bit longer?"

"Nope, I th-think I have e-e-nough from nature f-for a wh-while."

"Okay, have it your way," I say, winking at her.

I reach out for her arm and wrap my finger bones around it.

"Close your eyes."

She does as I say, and I teleport us home.

Your Perspective

After you close your eyes, it at first feels like you're being pulled into nothingness. The strong wind is replaced by total silence, and the piercing cold vanishes completely. You can feel Sans' firm grip on your arm, and blush a little at the contact. You're tempted to open your eyes, but you just want to remember this moment as it is right now—the calming atmosphere of silence with Sans by your side. Before long, you feel a strange pull, and then a familiar scent enters your nose.

When your feet touch the wooden floor, you open your eyes and find yourself in Sans' and Papyrus's house. You sigh in relief. It feels so good to be inside. Before you can so much as thank Sans, Papyrus comes rushing towards you from the kitchen table, and hugs you furiously.

"OH MY GOD, HUMAN I WAS SO WORRIED ABOUT YOU! PLEASE, NEVER DO THIS TO ME AGAIN. I DON'T EVEN WANT TO IMAGINE WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED. I'M SUCH A TERRIBLE HOST FOR LETTING THIS HAPPEN—"

"No, Papyrus this isn't your fault. You couldn't have known that—"

"NO, I'M NOT GOING TO ALLOW SUCH A DISAPPOINTING EVENING TO END LIKE THIS. (Y/N), PREPARE YOURSELF FOR A LOT OF HOT SPAGHETTI, PUZZLES, AND MANY HUGS FROM THE GREAT PAPYRUS THAT WILL KEEP THE COLD AWAY FROM YOU!"

You laugh at how adorable Papyrus is. You him back, but then you're suddenly put down and wrapped in a gazillion blankets. The extra weight is so sudden that you land on your bottom (which is luckily also wrapped in blankets). Papyrus looks at you proudly, obviously satisfied with his work. Sans chuckles, and then looks at you with a big smile on his face.

"Hey, what did the blanket say to the bed?" he asks. "They said 'don't worry, I got you covered.'"

"SAAAAAAAANS!"

Papyrus's outburst is just too funny, and you laughed so hard that your stomach aches. Your body hurt all over, but you don't care. Seeing these two now made the whole trip completely worth it. You're just so glad that you're here with them. After calming down, you stand up with the extra blankets still wrapped around you, and embrace both of them in a hug.

"Thank you."

The two soon wrap their arms around you, and the three of you just stand there, the scary events of the evening already fading from memory.

Editor's Note: This particular one-shot introduced a really interesting concept. It wasn't something that really fit with where I wanted to go with cannon, but it was so cute that I couldn't just get rid of it. And so, here it is: the part that I edited out. 

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ZLvksLuc_xUrVAIWaM4kYnHqvEzYxnMSzfXkqxH-Ksc

(Honestly, I like their version better, but... well... it just wouldn't work in the long run.) (Also note that it's completely unedited. This is the rough version.)