Mutant Teenagers

A city on edge

The next morning, the mood in the safehouse was tense. The argument between Kwstas and Nikolas had left a heavy shadow over the group. They were all feeling the pressure—not just from the government, but from their own fears about the future.

Outside, Athens was a city on edge. Soldiers and police patrolled the streets, checkpoints were set up, and curfews were enforced in some districts. Mutants were now a public enemy, and reports of ordinary people being attacked for being “suspected mutants” were becoming more frequent.

Melina tried to lighten the mood as usual, but even she seemed weighed down by the tension. Spurik sat next to her, occasionally glancing her way and offering quiet support.

---

Kwstas and Nikolas’s Cold Standoff

In the main living room, Nikolas sat on the couch, absentmindedly wrapping his bruised knuckles. Across the room, Kwstas was going over a map of the city, his light flickering faintly in his hand as he marked potential escape routes.

The silence was suffocating.

Sofia finally broke it. “Okay, are we just going to sit here and pretend everything’s fine, or are you two going to talk?”

Kwstas didn’t look up. “There’s nothing to talk about.”

Nikolas scoffed. “Yeah, you made that pretty clear last night.”

“Guys,” Morena said cautiously. “This isn’t helping.”

“Neither is pretending this isn’t a big deal,” Nikolas shot back, standing up. “The government is hunting us down, and all he cares about is hiding.”

Kwstas finally turned to face him, his eyes flashing with light energy. “I care about keeping us alive! You think charging headfirst into danger is going to solve anything? You’re not thinking—”

“And you’re thinking too much!” Nikolas interrupted. “You’re so afraid of what might happen that you’re willing to abandon everything we’ve been fighting for.”

“Fighting for what?” Kwstas shouted. “For people who hate us? For a world that would rather see us dead or locked up? You think being loud and proud is going to change anything?”

Nikolas’s hands curled into fists. “It’s better than running away. Better than pretending we’re something we’re not. That’s what you told me, isn’t it? That I shouldn’t hide? But now you’re the one hiding, and it’s pathetic.”

Kwstas’s jaw tightened. “You don’t understand—”

“No, I do understand,” Nikolas said, his voice low but trembling with anger. “You’re scared. And you’re trying to act like it’s strategy, but it’s not. It’s fear. And it’s not just hurting you—it’s hurting all of us.”

---

The Team Splinters

The room was silent again, the argument leaving everyone stunned.

Melina, who had been sitting quietly for once, finally spoke up. “Okay, that’s enough. We get it—you’re both mad. But maybe instead of yelling at each other, you could try actually working this out?”

Kwstas shook his head, his light flickering out as he turned toward the door. “There’s nothing to work out. If he wants to play hero, fine. But don’t drag the rest of us into it.”

He left the room, slamming the door behind him.

Nikolas stood there, his hands trembling, before Sofia gently touched his arm. “Hey,” she said softly. “Maybe give him some space. You both need to cool down.”

Nikolas nodded reluctantly, but his jaw was still clenched.

---

A Private Moment

Later that evening, Spuros, Sofia, and Morena sat together in the kitchen. The tension from earlier still lingered, but the three of them seemed determined to keep things light.

“I feel like I’m caught in the middle of a family fight,” Spuros said, trying to laugh. “Except the family has superpowers.”

Sofia smiled faintly. “You’re not wrong.”

Morena leaned back in her chair, her metal bracelet spinning around her wrist. “They’ll work it out. Kwstas and Nikolas are stubborn, but they care about each other. They just need time.”

Spuros hesitated, then asked, “Do you think we’re doing the right thing? Staying here, hiding? Or should we be...I don’t know, doing more?”

Sofia tilted her head. “It’s not about right or wrong. It’s about survival. We can’t fight every battle, but we can choose the ones that matter most.”

“That’s a very diplomatic answer,” Morena teased, though her smile was warm.

Sofia shrugged. “Someone has to be the voice of reason.”

---

Melina and Spurik’s Quiet Escape

Elsewhere, Melina found Spurik in the garden, sitting under a tree. She plopped down next to him, nudging his shoulder. “Hey. You okay?”

Spurik shrugged. “Just thinking.”

Melina tilted her head. “About what?”

“Everything. The government. The team. Us.” He glanced at her, his cheeks turning red. “I mean—not us us. Just...you know.”

Melina grinned, leaning closer. “Spurik, are you trying to say you like me?”

Spurik’s face turned even redder. “Maybe?”

“Good,” she said, her grin widening. “Because I like you too.”

Before he could respond, she kissed him again, her hand resting lightly on his shoulder. This time, the kiss was slower, more deliberate, and when they pulled apart, Spurik was smiling.

“You really are amazing,” he said softly.

Melina winked. “I know.”

---

Nikolas and Kwstas’s Fractured Bond

Nikolas sat on the roof of the safehouse, staring at the city lights in the distance. His knuckles ached from hitting the concrete earlier, but he barely noticed. His mind was a storm of emotions—anger, guilt, confusion.

He heard footsteps behind him and turned to see Melina.

“Hey,” she said, sitting down beside him. “Rough day, huh?”

He nodded. “I just...I don’t know what to do. Kwstas and I...it’s like we’re on completely different pages.”

Melina nudged him gently. “You’ll figure it out. You always do.”

Nikolas didn’t respond, but he appreciated her presence. Even as the world seemed to fall apart around them, the team still felt like home—fractured, but worth fighting for.