Musa and Duman stared at each other for what felt like an eternity.
"If you're about to ask me what's going on, I have no idea. I just received a paraphrased version"
"I know, I heard. I thought your heart song was off rhythm,"
"My huh?"
Musa didn't even want to explain "Nevermind—so this begs the question Duman; do you believe Roxy's vision has anything to do with this?"
He glared at the fairy, "It's definitely our most likely answer. But as you might have also heard, I've been grounded and have to stay with you lot for a while longer."
Musa shot up, "You wish, give me one good reason why I shouldn't wake everyone up,"
"Because we have no idea what this new Ogron is capable of, idiot. Say I'm exposed and the plan gets ruined, what stops him from going a-wall?"
"We've fought plenty of bad guys, this one's not different," she scoffed.
Duman looked at her, " I think you're just upset you're ex tried to get me to be the rebound, and now you're using this as an excuse to vent your frustration on to me," smirking at the music fairy, he struck a pose, "of course, I understand why he'd like me,"
"You've been spending too much time with Stella," Musa couldn't have rolled her eyes any more than she did, "so what then?"
"For now? You didn't hear anything, we continue as usual until we get an understanding of just what we're dealing with,"
a moment of silence fell. Duman and musa stared with fiery eyes, before hers softened.
"I ran into him, you know," Duman's head shot up at her, "he's pretty beat up, he had a massive bruise basically covering his whole chest…if you want to play the long game, that's fine, but I don't think he's doing too hot—"
Duman began to tighten up, "Gantlos…can handle himself, at least for a little while longer… it's just a little bit longer…"
"You say that, but your heart is racing…"
Duman's hands became drenched in sweat, his breathing started to increase, he gripped a tightness in his chest. His mind was reeling from the revelations Anagan had shared with him. The room now felt like a claustrophobic prison. The walls seemed to close in, pressing on him from all sides. Duman backed into the nearest wall, sliding down. Everything was too loud.
"Duman, calm down, we're gonna figure this out, but you can't panic —"
Duman couldn't even hear her. He hyperventilated, slapping his forehead a few times.
"G-Gantlos…" tears began to well up as he felt suffocated. He didn't want to cry, but his throat was so tight. His panic attack may just be his undoing if anyone wakes up. She listened to his heart, a song of distorted notes and unbalanced rhythms-Stella. Even before this whole thing began, when he had interacted with Stella, his melody became steady.
She quietly sped to where the blonde was sleeping and dragged her to the room.
"Musa what's going —oh," Stella watch the panicked man bite his own hand as he rocked.
"Look—Duman is Dahlia, and though there's no Dahlia, he genuinely enjoyed all the time you spent with him, so help me now and ask questions later," musa locked the door as she whispered.
Stella took a moment, then inhaling deeply, she knelt in front of Duman, his eyes dilated with fear.
Stella breathed in, she then took on a warm glow.
"Duman? Nod if you hear my voice," duman looked at her, barely nodding, "I need you to tell me something that you can see,"
"….light," his shaky voice was barely a whisper
"Good job, now — hey look at me — what's something you can hear."
His rocking slowed , "I hear you?"
"What's something you can smell?"
"I — I smell perfume," his eyes began to calm.
"Okay now let's find something you can touch—" Duman went forward, gripping her into an embrace.
"You- I can touch you."
Silence fell heavy, Musa gave Stella a worried look, Stella rubbed circles around Duman's back.
They stayed like this while musa explained everything.
"Ogron's in trouble, Anagan, Gantlos are— and I wasn't there." Duman sounded defeated.
"Shhh," Stella was still acting as a night light.
"We should all try to sleep, we're never gonna figure anything out if we're exhausted," musa said. Duman nodded sand got up. Musa left, leaving Duman and Stella.
"I'm not afraid of the dark…" his breath began to shake once more, "but please don't leave me…"
Stella nodded, bringing him to the bed, she held him tightly until his breathing became slow.
Anagan raced back as fast as could have, but even with his speed he worried about Gantlos being left, without magic.
"I'm back Ogr— err boss" saying his name didn't feel right. The Ogron sat on the sofa, gleefully looking down at Gantlos. Gantlos sat between his knees blindfolded as Ogron brushed his hair. It was weird.
"Wonderful! What did it say?"
"Well the sun fai— I'm sorry? It?" Anagan was thrown off by the word.
"Yes, It can be any gender, any object, any animal, I felt 'It' is the appropriate pronoun,"
Anagan felt something burning in him. Seeing his friend, his brother be a dress up doll, hearing this man call duman an "it". It rose to his throat.
"Don't you call him that.." Anagan growled a warning.
"…" the Ogron's face fell. His eyes looked at Anagan in disbelief, "I beg your pardon,"
"I said-don't. Call. Him. that. Duman is an essential part of the team and if he saw what you've done to Gantlos —"
"He'd what," the redhead stood, "Enlighten me! What would the genetic dumpster fire do?—You sit down." he turned and pointed the brush at the blind folded man. Ogron had hurt him again, so his energy was spent as he tried to rise.
"And quit that! Why is he even blindfolded? What is the point in humiliating him!" It wasn't even a question. Ogron's eyes held a wild darkness.
"Keep talking Ana~."
"AND YOU DONT CALL ME THAT! You don't treat us this way!," Anagan was exhasperated.
Ogron watched him throw his arms out in annoyance. A venomous smile lined his face.
"Anything else?"
"Yeah—" he huffed at the man before him.
"Tread carefully, Ana…~" The warning was low but clear
"My Ogron doesn't wear a stupid man bun,"