maskormenace | 001 { video }

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001 { video }

[ when the feed comes on, it’s mostly just annabeth looking a bit intense. not too scary, really, but close to it. especially with how she’s staring directly at the camera with her dark grey eyes, sitting at a table at fauxhalla.

possibly familiar grey eyes, but that depends on the company you keep. ]

I’m looking for personal accounts of what happens when people disappear. When they get ‘ported out’ or whatever you want to call it. [ her lips press into a thin line, like she’s trying to keep herself from reacting more loudly, or extremely, or just in general be more pissed off. ]

Some people think they get sent home but I know not everyone does- but is there anything else? Do they always just leave, or do they come back remembering what happened? Is there any way to know the difference based on when they leave? Anything about what they leave behind here? How normal is it for people to remember their time here when they leave?

[ her finger taps on the wood of the desk, a kind of nervous tick as her eyes scan the room around her. there's a feeling like she has something more to say, but is holding it back with some frustration. after a brief pause, she exhales through her nose. ]

How much time has to pass before you know for sure they’re not coming back?

[ a pause, and then that’s the video- abrupt cut to the end of it and everything. ]

PRIVATE: CLOSE MAGNUS CR

[ the feed comes back up to a collection of people, with annabeth’s head tilted down, her thumb and forefinger massaging at the bridge of her nose. ]

Magnus was ported out. If he comes back and someone else finds him first, just...can you let me know?

[ there’s a kind of half-break to her voice, there, but she does swallow it back well enough as she cuts the video. ]

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[ Ah, god, this isn't what she wants to talk about today, but she can't just not help. ]

Look... People port out and come back and remember being here all the time. They're gone a few days, a week, but it's like—like a blip, and they're back. [ A sigh, and she runs a hand through her hair, frustrated. She hates people porting out. She hates having to explain this to a teenager. ]

A month. That's how long it'll be when you know it's for real.

[Ronan appears utterly indifferent to this news, because it's not like Magnus is his best friend or anything.]

Yeah, sure.

[Oh no. His brows are furrowed, pure concern in his eyes for her.]

How long has it been since anyone has seen him last?

And you know you will be the first contact if any of us should run into him first.

[ Oh Annabeth.

Lester would know that expression (and honestly, that crack in her voice) anywhere. His reply is immediate, with zero hesitation - ]

Of course. But in the meantime, you should probably get something to eat. [ . . . ] My treat.

Seriously?

[ A beat, he's actually kind of down about this. He hasn't told anyone that he's been kicking himself for not saying anything when Alex disappeared. ]

If I see him, I'll let you know.

[ There's another pause, and he looks a little uncomfortable. ] My team mate and I have been ported out before.

A few hours.

[ she hasn't opened her eyes, her fingers still massaging at the bridge of her nose. but it's gansey, so she's comfortable enough to answer, comfortable enough to not really try and force a calm over that anger and upset tilt to her voice. ]

But he doesn't ditch, and he ditched dinner. [ a pause, and then a sigh. ] He's not here, so unless I've done something awful and he's mad at me, he's just. Gone.

[Gansey can’t even fathom Magnus angry at anyone let alone his cousin. He suspects Annabeth knows that too.

His heart aches for her when he hears how rough her voice is compared to usual.]

Is anyone with you right now, Annabeth?

[ yeah see she might have believed that if she didn't.....know magnus. and live with magnus. and has probably heard more about ronan than literally any other person since arriving.

so. nice try.

still, at the video she will just kind of watch him. partially like she's just pulling him apart by looking at him, and partially like a few different puzzle pieces are setting together. so...he'll just have to deal with that for a second. ]

You're Ronan, right?

[That's alright. He's used to getting stared at for one reason or another.]

Yeah. Why? Did he leave me anything in his will?

[ annabeth appreciates the help, considering how it's the only solid answer she's gotten so far. ]

And there's no way of knowing why? Or how long they'll be gone?

[ but then there's that, and annabeth does her best to hide it, but her shoulders drop and her face falls. ]

A month? [ a beat, and then a breath. a second to pull herself back together. ] Okay. Okay. [ . . . ] Have you left before? Or just had people leave?

[ oh, she definitely knows that. but she's also trying to manage a sudden, overwhelming sense of grief and dread that she's felt once before.

it's a feeling she knows is stupid, and irrational, which is why she's swallowing it back. ]

I'm fine, Gansey. You don't need to... [ she lets out a breath of air, her hand dropping and turning to make eye contact with him. ] Worry about me. Really.

Both. I've gone home and lived through more shit and then come back a few days later. And a guy I was— [ She stutters, hesitates, not sure how to describe George. ] A guy I was with left for nearly a year, then came back, then left again.

I realize.

Are you alone?

There are probabilities, but no certainties. There is no knowing "for sure" if someone will come back or not. Some return after days; some return after years, when there's no one left to greet them. Most don't at all. But there's no final threshold to cross; the possibility *always* remains.

You have to decide for yourself how much hope you're fit to bear. That's all.

I will let you know. [ she offers her a gentle smile.] I came back after being ported. I was gone only a couple of weeks.

Fuck.

[Nico rubs her forehead, before slumping forward, propping her elbow up against her desk. She's a recent enough imPort that she hasn't really had to deal with this yet.]

I'll... yeah, I'll let you know. Shit.

You okay?

[ Oh no, she seems upset. Matthew has been witness to a lot of port outs, so he tries to help. ]

It happens lots of different ways. Sometimes people remember being here and sometimes they don't.

I went home when I got Ported out, and I was there for a few months. [ The next part troubles him to say, for himself and for her, but she did ask and he wants to be honest. ] When I got back here, though, it'd been... a lot longer.

[ He looks down, thoughtful. ]

But that's why I don't think you can ever know for sure that someone isn't coming back. It might just be a while.

[ she presses her lips together in a thin line for a moment. damn it gansey. ]

Yes.

[ percy is on his way. he'd been out, which is fine, but at that moment- yes. she is alone. ]

And you remembered everything that happened here? When you came back?

[ annabeth sees the stutter and can assume complications, but she won't press it. curiosity or no, she's more concerned about getting information. about figuring out if magnus returns, if they're going to have to start over. ]

[He cuts the feed just then and a few seconds later, there’s a knock on Her door.]

Annabeth? [his voice is soft but firm. He won’t leave.]

[ she almost says something like 'more like he never shuts up about you' but decides to table it for now. ]

No will. [ though that almost makes her snort. almost. ] Did you talk to him today?

[ the feed cuts, and annabeth lets out a long, tired sigh. she knew this was going to be his response and she knew this was going to happen, and while part of her is annoyed because she doesn't need to be babysat, another is just grateful enough for her to notice. ]

The door's open.

[ he's been to fauxhalla enough that she doesn't feel the need to go and open it for him. and when she does come inside, she will still be at the table, her phone sitting off to the side. ]

[ not now lester!!!! she doesn't need to be pitied!!!

still, she'll lift an eyebrow at that, tired and lacking the usual amount of 'yeah right' sass to it, but still. ]

Did you budget enough to pay for someone else's dinner?

[ you and her both, nico. so when annabeth sees that, she can relate, giving nico a sympathetic look. ]

I'll be okay when I know what happened for sure.

[ it's the in between period that's killing her. ]

You?

[Oh Annabeth. Gansey wouldn’t let her be alone. He knows he wouldn’t want to be, no matter the face he put up.

He enters and leans against the table next to her, doesn’t touch her at all.

He doesn’t say anything yet.]

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