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hellooo, happy new year everyone! christmas may be over, but a brand new year is here and i thought it would be nice to post a little something for that! :D

also, i tried to mix the suggestions all in one chapter but also changed them up a bit! i won't tell you guys anything as to not spoil the story, but this story felt like an acid trip for me cuz i probably wrote this half-asleep (⁠・⁠_⁠・⁠;⁠)

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"laios? are you alright?"

"hm?"

laios jolted, seemingly startled at the call of his name.

strange. for some unknown reason, marcille's voice sounded... muffled. like she was talking underwater.

actually, it's been like that the entire day. or maybe night, he couldn't really tell since they're deep underground in the dungeon.

laios thought he was just tired, but after sleeping for ten hours and still feeling like he's under the weather, he knows something was wrong.

he wouldn't tell the others, though. he didn't want to worry them, so he'll deal with this on his own.

"you've been staring at the wall for a while. are you alright?"

"oh, yeah— of course.. i'm alright."

the lie was evident, but marcille didn't seem that bothered by it so she let laios be, sighing softly as she continued to eat the meal that senshi had prepared for them, albeit a little reluctantly.

not only was everything muffled, he could also hear this ringing in his ear. it went away for a while, but now it's back and louder than ever.

'what's happening? maybe it's some kind of monster that's doing this?'

he stood up, holding his head.

"laios?"

chilchuck called out to him, confused as to why he's storming away out of nowhere.

"just a bathroom break... be right back."

laios muttered, and the others shared a glance with each other before shrugging.

with each step he took, he'd wobble and almost trip on his feet, like a drunken man walking. the ringing got louder, as laios clutched his head in pain.

he didn't even know where he was going, but his feet are moving.

"[name]...?"

laios squinted his eyes as he caught a glimpse of (h/c) strands out of the corner of his eyes, rounding the wall to his right.

naturally, he followed it, having zero awareness of his surroundings at this point.

he held onto the wall as he looked around, searching for the serpent girl who had disappeared out of his sight.

after stumbling around for another minute or so, laios stopped right in front of a white door that was somehow randomly in the dungeons.

totally not strange at all.

he was panting, trying to catch his breath as if he had just run a mile when in reality, he was walking around for two minutes.

correction: stumbling around like a drunkard.

determined to find where [name] had headed off to, laios pushed the door open without another thought, and he had to shut his eyes tight as a blinding light flashed before him.

thousands of thoughts ran through his head, wondering what will happen to him at this very moment.

for some reason, one stuck to him.

'what if [name] was normal?'

'damn, that would've sounded horrible if i said it out loud.' laios thought to himself while already imagining how marcille and chilchuck would look at him as if he had just killed someone, despite the situation he was in.

but he couldn't stop thinking about it. what if... [name] was "normal"? he has no idea why he would have such a thought in the first place, and before he could dwell on it, something happened.

the ringing stopped, and so did the muffled noises.

laios opened his eyes, and he found himself laying on a snowy terrain, his limbs spread out like he was in the middle of making a snow angel.

he sat up, snow littered all over his back and even up to his hair.

"where am i?"

one moment, he was in the dungeon with his friends, and the next thing he knew he was laying in some kind of white forest?

"this must be the doing of a monster."

the calmness in his voice is almost unnerving, but this is laios we're talking about. he could be in the stomach of a man-eating plant, and he'd probably just laugh it off and scratch his way out of there like a dog scratching on the door when it wants to go out.

first, he tried to slap himself awake. no use, nothing really happened.

"this is probably not a monster that lured me in my sleep, huh."

he cups his chin in thought. his hands search for his monster journal, but to no avail, it was nowhere to be found.

in fact, he wasn't even wearing his armour anymore. he was wearing winter clothes.

'this is not a dream, but somehow, i'm somewhere else with different clothes on. hmm... i remember walking through a door and blacking out after that.'

he picks up the discarded bonnet on the ground, brushing away the snow on it and placing it on his head as he stands up and begins walking in a random direction.

he'll have to find his way out of this place as soon as possible.

after walking around for a while, laios soon finds himself in front of a cabin in the clearing.

there was smoke coming out of the chimney, so he assumed there was someone inside. maybe he could ask for help there?

he approached cautiously, about to knock on the door when someone stopped him.

"laios? you're back early!"

he stopped, and what he saw as he gazed to his left made his rosy cheeks turn a darker shade of red.

'hold on... [name]?'

the same hair length, same eyes, same height... yep, that's definitely his [name]. only difference is...

"welcome home. i thought you wouldn't be back until tomorrow?"

arms wrapped around his waist as he felt her face press against his chest, and laios let out an involuntary squeak.

"i... wuh...?"

[name] looked at him strangely, tilting her head in confusion before smiling.

"well, it doesn't matter. i'm glad you're back early. the kids missed you."

"the— who?!? uuhhh, what???"

'am i dead and i'm seeing what my life could've looked like?'

he couldn't form a proper sentence, and [name] didn't give him a chance to do so as she began dragging him inside.

"you're all covered in snow. you look like you dove in a pile of one. quick, get changed and warm yourself up bu the fire place, the soup is almost ready."

laios was lightheaded, but he forced himself to move and do as she said while still looking like the most confused creature that ever walked this earth.

while changing into a fresh set of clothes, he held the squealing and padded steps of children outside, and he gulped.

'if my brain is still functioning, then this place must be some kind of alternate universe where things are WAY different and unrealistic, right? what kind of monster does this anyway? i don't remember falling asleep or something.'

he slowly steps out of the room, and the first thing that greeted him was two pairs of arms wrapped around his legs.

"papa!"

"pa!"

laios yelped, the colour draining from his face at the sight of a little girl who looks like she's no older than eight years old, and a little boy who looks like he had just learned how to run recently.

that's not really the most shocking part. the thing is, they looked EXACTLY like him, like a carbon copy of him.

"papa, how was your trip? was it fun? did you see a yeti, like the one that was in your book?"

"pa! welcome 'ome!"

"uh... no... i didn't. but they... they exist, alright! i just haven't encountered one yet!"

'whatever fever dream this is, i might as well enjoy it.'

he smiled sheepishly as the kids bounced around him in excitement, blabbering about something be couldn't understand since most of their words are gibberish.

"you look out of it. are you alright, laios?"

his gaze snaps up to [name] who placed a pot on the table near them, and he felt deja vu.

marcille had asked him the same thing before he ended up here.

the hand that landed on his shoulder snapped him out of his thoughts, and he cleared his throat, smiling at [name].

"just a little tired. the trip sure did take a lot of energy out of me."

"you can rest first if you want."

"no, no... you already prepared the food for us. i'd hate to let it go cold."

laios placed his hand over her own, his heart almost leaping out of his chest when her lips quirked into a warm grin.

"hehe, you're such a sweetheart. c'mon then, let's eat."

never in a million years would laios imagine himself sitting in front of a table with a nice, warm meal during winter, with [name] right next to him, spoon feeding "their" son while joking around with "their" daughter.

'this place almost seems too realistic. and i can't deny that it is pretty nice. is it trying to trick me into letting my guard down?'

he gazed at [name], feeling strange when he saw her smiling so casually.

"you look nice when you smile. i wish you'd do it more."

laios muttered mindlessly, unaware of his own words that he just blurted out like it was nothing.

[name] didn't seem to mind, though. she raised a brow, laughing at his statement.

"smile more? i'm always smiling. you know why? it's because i'm happy with the life i have with you."

'the real [name] doesn't smile as widely or as often.'

laios thought to himself, taking a spoonful of soup.

"i'm happy too. knowing that it's you and me against the world."

he said as his gaze lingered on the ring on his finger.

she had the same ring on.

"papa, mama told us that while you were away, she missed you very veeeeeery much! like, this big!"

"lauie!"

[name] covered her daughter's mouth in embarrassment, while laios laughed in amusement.

"pa! momma' missed you veeery much!"

"oh orlie, not you too..."

she lost hope and started sulking when their youngest joined in on teasing her.

meanwhile, laios had a grin on his face, but deep down inside his mind is running with questions that he had no answers to.

'i remember thinking about something earlier. that one "what if?" that i couldn't stop thinking about... perhaps it had something to do with this? if it really is a monster, what type of monster is it? this is quite exciting.'

"oh, and i received a letter from falin yesterday."

his mind had drifted off to his own world, he didn't even realise that she'd been talking this whole time.

"falin?! what did she say?"

"she and marcille will be here tomorrow to celebrate the upcoming beginning of a new year with us."

'so marcille and falin are here too? huh... i wonder how they look like in this universe. is falin different from her usual self too, just like [name]? did marcille officially become a flying pineapple monster?'

laios blinked with a deadpan as he imagine a flying pineapple with marcille's face on it.

yeah, no. he'd rather imagine a cooler monster.

"that sounds great. i'm glad they'll be celebrating with us."

"ah, and i forgot to mention this before you left for your trip... our friends are actually coming over too."

"friends?"

"you know... senshi, toshiro, namari— even that one guy you've made friends with at the dungeon that one time... what was his name again? labru? kable? pebble?"

'i have no idea what she's talking about. things seem to be a LOT different in this universe.'

the night arrived fast, and laios prepped himself for bedtime, seemingly already forgotten the fact that he's stuck in some kind of facade that could possibly be a monster's trap that could kill him.

he stretched his arms and yawned, walking through the hall when he noticed [name] standing by a window with her arms crossed, leaning against the wall.

"penny for your thoughts?"

laios propped himself on the opposite side of her, his head leaned against te window.

"oh, you know... the usual. what my life could've been if things were... different."

'what a funny coincidence, because i'm witnessing it before my eyes.'

he thought to himself, his eyes trained on her face. she looked troubled, a lift more... expressive, than the [name] he knows.

"don't get me wrong... i was telling the truth earlier. i'm happy with this life. the life we have together. but... you know that feeling where you'd always find yourself wondering how things could've been if you made a different choice that would've changed your whole life?"

[name] hugged herself, still staring out the window with a longing gaze.

"would i be different? or would i stay the same? it always keeps me up at night."

"i... don't really think about those stuff."

laios rubbed his nape, his words lced with honesty.

maybe he did think about it once, and that's probably why he's here in the first place, but the longer he spends his time in this place the more he seems to feel... detached.

"i wouldn't want you to be different."

laios finally says, catching [name]'s attention.

"you're always you, no matter what. and i want it to stay that way... i wouldn't change a thing about you, [name]."

his words were genuine, and [name] could tell just by looking into his eyes.

laios had to stop himself from squeaking like a guinea pig once again when [name] tackled him in a hug.

"you always know the right words to say."

awkwardly, laios returned the hug with a red face. only now did it finally registered in his brain that [name] is in fact, his wife AND the mother of his children in this universe.

'hugging like this is supposed to be normal for married couples, right??? wait, are we even married?! no, wait, we both have a ring on our finger... so that means we are—'

good grief. he hopes he can survive long enough to escape whatever fever dream this is, or he'll probably succumb to this monster trap and die a happy man.

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"so... flour and eggs... we have to get flour and eggs before we head back home."

"let me carry those for you, marcille. don't want you getting tired before the celebration."

"oh stop it falin—"

'okay, so my sister and marcille are both a lebanese confirmed.'

laios carried a whole bag of vegetables in his arms as they walked through the marketplace, watching the two girls in front of him with wide eyes.

the moment they arrived at their place this morning, he instantly knew there was something between them.

and in typical laios fashion, the first thing he said was "oh my god, you two are kiss-girls?!"

marcille almost kicked his ass for screeching that out as if he hadn't known that for years now while falin held her back while laughing lightly as if this was a typical tuesday for her.

well, technically he didn't know, but this universe version of him did sooo—

"how come you were so surprised about falin and marcille? we were at their wedding."

[name] whispered to him while holding a basket of ingredients.

"huh? o-oh, well... i don't know. it just slipped my mind."

'yeah, right. it just slipped my mind that apparently my sister is gay. haha, very believable.'

"hmm, you're really out of it. are you sure you're alright, laios?"

"yeah, yeah... i'm fine. promise! i don't know what got to me while i was away..."

"i'm getting worried, laios. you don't usually act like this..."

the small frown on her face made him freeze, and he almost dropped the bag he was holding as he turned to face her, one hand holding her own.

"hey, look at me... i promise to tell you when something's wrong, alright? so please don't worry."

it felt like time had stopped for the two of them, and laios squeezed her hand in a comforting manner, offering her a gentle and reassuring smile.

"look at them... aren't they so sweet?"

"this is how heteros flirt? well gosh..."

falin and marcille whispered amongst themselves as they watched the two like two gossiping moms that saw the ingredients for their tea.

the four of them ended up roaming around for a while, buying things they probably didn't need— thanks to the shopping maniac [name] and her enabler, falin.

"look at this sweater! it's cute."

"falin, i love you a lot but that is the ugliest sweater i've ever seen. it looks like something santa's helper would make if they were eating shrooms while they're at it."

"awww, but look at it! ugly things can be cute too!"

after shopping for the most unnecessary items, it was time to go back and prepare for the celebration.

a new year celebration wouldn't be a one without a feast, and it seems that someone's timing was more than perfect.

"wait, do you guys hear something? sounds like thudding somewhere..."

marcille looked around, paranoid.

"it's probably just some critters outside— ahh!"

[name] shrieked when something came out of the ground by their porch— a shovel, and a head emerged from the hole.

"senshi?! why are you digging yourself out of the ground?!"

marcille held her head in disbelief as a familiar face slowly made his way out of the hole in the ground with laios' help.

"ho ho! and here i thought i wouldn't make it on time!"

the dwarf man chuckled, brushing snow out if his beard.

"i had to travel underground, since it would be much safer than walking through the forest. who knows, there might be wild animals roaming the woods?"

"...i still don't get how digging through the ground is a smart idea."

laios laughed at marcille's unamused expression, turning his head back slightly when he heard mini footsteps behind him.

"uncle senshi!"

"sei'shi!"

with senshi there, they can finally start preparing the food— with laios stealing a few pieces here and there of course, and falin probably joining him only to both end up getting caught and scolded by marcille.

one by one, the others arrived. with more people expected, but not that laios minded. the more, the merrier.

"shuro! you actually made it!"

laios grins and slung an arm around toshiro's neck, much to the man's irritation.

"still calling me that after all these years, huh?"

toshiro sighed, but there wasn't really any genuine anger in his expression.

"you lucky bastard. looks like you've got quite a happy family for yourself."

laios raised a brow as toshiro glanced at the kids, then at [name] who was helping senshi and falin with cooking.

"of course i do! i'm more than happy actually."

"heh, like i said... lucky bastard."

he smiled, shaking his head at laios who was still confused but didn't comment on it any further.

"oi! where is the liquor?! can't expect me to work in this cold weather without anything to warm me up, do you?!"

namari huffed as she drops a bunch of chopped wood on the ground.

"say 'please' first."

marcille grins.

"no, homo."

"wha— you can't say that! that's offensive!"

laios found himself blissful. he could stay right here and not worry about anything else. he was happy, contented.

somehow, it feels like something is