entranceway | voice.

[ there's the sound of a thud! that the phone picks up, like someone tripping and sprawling out across the floor. because, well, maybe that just happened. possibly. because it wasn't like Nico had been in one place and woke up somewhere else or anything! except that definitely happened -- he'd expected to wake up in his cabin at Camp Half Blood, only to actually find himself sprawled out across the floor of his bedroom in Wonderland, landing on top of his phone in the process. when he finally shuffles around enough to pull his phone from under him, he leaves it on the floor while he sits back up, clearly ignoring the fact that he left the voice function running.

he huffs out a sigh, evidently very inconvenienced by this development. ]

Really? Again?

[ another thump when he drops his head back against one of his bed posts. not the happiest of campers being stuck back in Wonderland again. ]

( ooc. Nico's returned from his canon update, which means there will likely be spoilers for Blood of Olympus in the threads below! )

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[There you are, Nico. How the hades is she supposed to fuss all sisterly-like over you when you're even harder to find then usual?]

[Actually, his reaction came as little surprise to her. She'd suspected for as long back as when she'd talked to Leo. Similar to how Nico would be able to feel her life force, she'd gotten to know his pretty well. And when it was or wasn't nearby.]

...rough week?

[To put it mildly.]

[ ah- it's only when he hears Hazel's voice does Nico realize his device had been broadcasting. of course. because a smooth return would have been far too much to ask for, right?

he leans over to pick up the phone, and even if he'd just seen her back in their world, part of him found relief in knowing she was still in Wonderland. but-

but he also wasn't sure what she knew or not, if her time away had been like his, if she knew the things he did now. ]

Something like that. [ a pause, brief. ] Is that how long I was gone?

I don't know. You tell me.

[There was a difference, after all, between Wonderland time and Home time. She knew that now, if she hadn't already, after her own recent disappearance.]

That's about how long Frank and I had been gone, I think.

[ oh gods that's a voice she wasn't sure she was going to hear anytime soon. and while there are so many other issues she really needs to deal with and talk through, there are also a lot more that she'd rather ignore.

like how they dated.

like how he disappeared almost immediately after.

she and percy are back on good terms, sure, but that hadn't fixed everything. she didn't even know what everything entailed. but what she does know is that nico is back, nico is okay, and that's...pretty much enough for her. ]

Welcome back.

[ and then she breathes a sigh of relief, thinking about the fact this means he missed the last event. death. ]

[ Annabeth's voice is a welcome familiarity, and while his feelings from home and the ones he'd left behind here immediately begin to clash when he hears her, there's something so calming about coming from a war that's ended. in coming after having weight similar to the one that Atlas bears removed from his shoulders.

so maybe his voice is a little lighter than what it used to be, maybe he doesn't sound quite so detached as he used to. because while he doesn't exactly want to be back in Wonderland, at least now he knows what happened, he knows how everything turned out. ]

Thanks. [ he reaches for his device, pulls it closer to hear her better. ] How long was I away?

[ she almost doesn't catch the shift at first, more concerned with her own growing comfort in the conversation. sure, there are things she should be taking into account, and sure, maybe all of this is just left over from that one event. but nico is back, and she hears his voice and feels better for it.

but then annabeth catches it - maybe when he pulls the device closer, when it gets more clear. he seems...lighter. happier. it makes her equal parts thankful (he's come from home, and he's okay) and curious. she does what she can to keep it from showing in her voice, though - just an easy tone, for now, her grin hanging on the edges of the words. ]

Almost a month, I think. Close enough. You missed a pretty bad event, too.

[ she remembers frank, remembers hazel, remembers clarisse and gods, she doesn't want to think about that. it's over, it was just an event, but she can still see that haunted look in their eyes. ]

You've been here before and you remember?

[That's interesting.]

Yes. I've been here- [ how long has it been? ] -a while. I went home, and then brought back here.

Unfortunately this isn't an unusual practice for Wonderland.

There are people who recognize me and claim I was here before, but I don't remember it.

[Then there's Tybalt, who's convinced it wasn't her at all. It would make some sense. She doesn't remember. This boy clearly does.]

...Does this happen to you often?

[ She doesn't mean to sound unconcerned, but hey. That's a development she hasn't really come into contact with yet. ]

Not especially. [ which- he figures deserves an explanation. ] I had been here for a number of months before being sent home. I was there for a couple weeks, then brought back to Wonderland.

It just - keeps dragging you back and forth? With no explanation?

[ THAT SOUNDS... REALLY FAMILIAR, ACTUALLY... ]

Again? You mean this nonsense has happened to you before?

Y'alright there, buddy?

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