Mutant Minds | Stray Kids x X-Men

31: Fatherless Behaviour

As the laughter from their banter with Bobby died down, the cabin settled into a comfortable silence. Changbin, still riding the wave of humor, suddenly leaned back and looked at Logan, who had been quietly observing the group with his usual stoic demeanor.

"You know what's crazy?" Changbin said, his tone a mix of curiosity and playful accusation. "Logan and I have the exact same mutation. I mean, what are the chances of that?"

The room went still for a moment as the others processed what Changbin was saying. Kitty's eyes widened in realization, and Rogue raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued.

"Now that you mention it..." Rogue started, looking between Changbin and Logan. "That is a little suspicious, don't you think, Logan?"

Logan, who had been content to let the conversation flow around him, suddenly became the center of attention. He narrowed his eyes at Changbin, his expression a mix of irritation and amusement. "Don't start with me, kid," he grumbled, though there was no real heat behind his words.

But before Logan could deflect further, Hank, who had been quietly working on some data in the back, decided to chime in, a teasing grin spreading across his face. "You know, Logan, that would explain why you let Changbin sleep on your shoulder during the flight out here. That's a very 'dad' thing to do."

The others immediately latched onto Hank's comment, grinning widely as they turned their attention to Logan.

"Oh yeah, I remember that!" Kitty exclaimed, her eyes lighting up. "Changbin was out cold, and Logan didn't move an inch the whole time. Super dad vibes, Logan!"

Rogue joined in, her smirk growing. "Guess you've got some fatherly instincts after all, Logan. Maybe there's something to this theory."

Logan scowled, clearly not thrilled with the teasing, but the hint of a smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "You all think you're real funny, huh?" he said, his tone gruff but tinged with humor.

Changbin, emboldened by the group's teasing, leaned forward, crossing his arms and giving Logan a mock-serious look. "So, Logan, got anything you want to confess? Been to Korea? Had any wild nights you don't remember?"

The jet erupted into laughter again, with even Hank chuckling as he leaned back in his seat. "Come on, Logan, spill the beans. You've always been a bit of a mystery. Maybe Changbin's right, and we've just uncovered the biggest secret in X-Men history."

Logan rolled his eyes, shaking his head in exasperation. "You all need to find something better to do with your time."

But the teasing didn't stop. Kitty pretended to wipe away a tear, laughing. "Next thing you know, we'll find out Logan's been secretly keeping a scrapbook of Changbin's life milestones. First mission, first fight, first filter selfie..."

The teasing continued, filling the jet's cabin with a lively energy. Kitty was still chuckling, her face bright with mischief. "Next thing you know, we'll find out Logan's been secretly keeping a scrapbook of Changbin's life milestones. First mission, first fight, first filter selfie..."

Logan smirked, shaking his head. "Alright, alright, enough of that."

But then Logan, with an innocent air, threw out a remark. "Okay then, kid. What's your mom's name? Eunkyung?"

Changbin's face fell, the blood draining from his cheeks. The room fell silent as the realization hit him. Eunkyung was his mother's name.

Without a word, Changbin's demeanor shifted dramatically. His eyes, previously full of humor, now burned with a fierce intensity. Anger flashed across his face as he stood up abruptly, his claws extending in a defensive reflex.

In a swift, powerful motion, Changbin stormed over to Logan, grabbing him by the collar and slamming him against the wall with a force that made the whole jet shake slightly. His claws, shimmering with a dangerous edge, were poised dangerously close to Logan's throat.

Logan's eyes widened, momentarily taken aback by the sudden aggression. "Whoa, Changbin, take it easy!" he growled, though there was no hint of fear in his voice.

Rogue's eyes shot wide, and she quickly moved to intervene. "Changbin, stop it! What the hell's going on?"

Storm and Hank, who had been quietly observing, immediately reacted. Storm stood up, her expression serious as she addressed Changbin. "Changbin, calm down. We're all a team here."

Hank, his tone equally firm but less intense, tried to defuse the situation. "Let's take a step back and talk this through."

Changbin's breathing was heavy, his claws still extended as he glared at Logan. "How do you know my mother's name?" he demanded, his voice low and dangerous. "How do you know about Eunkyung?"

Logan's expression shifted from surprise to a more contemplative look. He raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. "Hey, calm down. I didn't mean to freak you out."

"I've been in Korea," Logan said, his tone softer now. "Sixteen years ago. I met a woman named Eunkyung. She was... important to me at the time."

The words hit Changbin like a sledgehammer. All the pieces seemed to be falling into place, but he was too enraged to process them fully.

Hank stepped forward cautiously. "Logan, is there something you're not telling us?"

Logan met Hank's gaze, nodding slowly. "Maybe. But I don't have all the answers. I didn't know Eunkyung had a son until now. If Changbin's mother is indeed the same Eunkyung I knew, then..."

Storm moved closer to Changbin, her hand gently but firmly resting on his shoulder. "Changbin, you need to calm down. Acting out won't help you find the truth."

Changbin, still seething, slowly retracted his claws, though his anger didn't entirely dissipate. He released Logan, stepping back but not completely relaxing. "You could've been my mentor all this time," he said, voice still trembling with a mix of rage and confusion. "I could've been learning from my own dad, and you never said anything."

Logan rubbed his neck, clearly uncomfortable. "It's not that simple. I didn't know, and if I did... I don't even know how I'd have handled it."

Rogue moved to Changbin's side, her tone steady and reassuring. "Look, let's figure this out. We don't have all the details yet. We need to get the full story before jumping to conclusions."

Kitty, looking between Changbin and Logan, added, "Yeah, we need to take this one step at a time. No one's saying anything for sure yet."

Storm nodded in agreement. "Let's get back to the base and talk this through. We'll get to the bottom of it, together."

The tension in the cabin slowly eased as Changbin took deep breaths, trying to control his emotions. Logan, though still shaken, nodded in agreement. "Fine. We'll sort this out. I didn't mean to cause any more pain."

As the jet continued its journey, the team fell into a thoughtful silence, each of them grappling with the weight of the revelations. The night's events had shifted the dynamics between them, revealing not just personal connections but also new layers of their relationships. The journey ahead promised to be more complex than ever, but at least they knew they would face it together.