Just a tiny drabble I wrote. Nothing of terrible importance occurs but I ended up liking it, tiny as it it, and felt like sharing. Enjoy ^^

Meta Knight was shivering.

It took him a moment to notice, but his teeth were actually chattering. They hadn't done that in a while.

He tried to ignore it. Pulled his cape tighter.

His breath appeared before him, tiny puffs of air, visible in the dying light of the sun. It would soon be night, and there was no doubt that the temperature would continue to drop.

He continued to shiver.

It distracted him, for he didn't notice the one who approached from behind, until a feathered hand was pressed onto his shoulder. He nearly jumped.

"Just me, Sir."

Meta Knight looked up. Vul was standing there. His hand removed itself from the metal pauldron and went instead for a familiar pipe.

"Captain."

A pause.

"What are you doing out here?" The knight asked, searching the bird's face. The old albatross looked almost solemn.

"Relieving you, Sir. Ye ought to know well enough that ye shouldn't be out here in this, not being unwell. The lads and I agreed it to be fer the best." Vul just stared ahead, into the horizon. He lit the pipe and took it in his beak.

"I appreciate your concern, but, no." Meta Knight said quietly, his eyes watching the smoke almost warily as it drifted into the air. Vul made a visible effort to blow it away from him.

"Yer shiverin'."

"..."

"And yer ill." Vul flicked his glance the knight's way. Meta Knight offered a quiet sniffle in response.

"I'm fine."

A definite eye roll.

"Of course, Sir."

The smoke formed swirling shapes in the cold wind. Vul sighed.

"Ye don't have feathers, you'll freeze yer tail off if y'stay out in this weather much longer."

"I don't have a tail either." Another sniff.

There was a moment of quiet. Just the sound of the winter breeze and their breathing. Meta Knight felt his lungs burn just watching the smoke. He swallowed. His fingers were losing their feeling...

"Go inside, Sir." Vul said simply. "I don't mean to order YOU around, but I'll not say it again. I'll keep the watch myself fer now. You get in out of this weather. It's doing yer cold no favors."

That it wasn't, Meta Knight had to agree, given how his nose was running. He sighed, watching his breath billow forth and get swept far away, dissolving into nothing. He sniffled again, shifting his cape.

"...Thank you, Vul..." He said, facing the bird.

Vul's hooked beak formed a smile.

"Just doing my job, Sir. No need to thank me fer that."