Work Text:
It was a normal hard working day for Stray Kids, they had just gotten back to their dorms after finishing their dance practice and were even let out a bit earlier than usual.
Jisung was debating if he should take the extra time to slip into his headspace. He knew if he didn't do it now he probably wouldn't be able to slip for at least another week. Seemingly able to read his mind, Chan made his way over to Jisung.
"I think you should take the opportunity to slip while you can. If you want we can cuddle and watch some Pokémon after everyone bathes and showers?” Chan suggests. Jisung opened his mouth to respond before he was cut off by Chan again, who had his ‘I’m thinking’ look on his face, “Actually, now that I'm thinking about it we should see if Innie wants to slip too. I'll go ask him. Be right back." And with that, Chan left to go find their youngest member.
Jisung swears Chan is a saint sometimes. He's so selfless, putting his members' needs in front of his own and somehow always knows exactly what Jisung needs in his moment of stress. He will gladly take their leader up on his offer, though he always does feel a little guilty for taking up his time despite knowing none of the members mind at all.
With there being only two bathrooms with showers, it takes a while for all of the stray kids members to wash up (assuming they shower separately). With the stress Jisung has been feeling recently, he decided to slip before his bath knowing that one of the members wouldn't mind helping him bathe.
"Ok sungie I'm done with my bath, you can take yours now," he hears Minho say. Jisung looks over in the direction Minho is walking from and grabs the sleeve of his sweatshirt as he walks by.
"can you hewp sungie take baf pwease," Jisung gave him his best puppy dog eyes knowing full well that Minho can't say no to them.
"Of course baby. Let's go get you cleaned up," Minho cooed while taking Jisung by the hand and guiding him towards the bathroom, keeping a side note that the rapper appears to be in a younger headspace than normal.
When making their way into the bathroom, Minho takes a second to notice the water from his own bath was still draining. The sound of the drain getting louder as it neared the end of the water.
Normally, this sound wouldn't have any sort of effect on little sungie, but with him being in a younger headspace and feeling more sensitive to the things around him, the somewhat loud sound and sight of the drain sucking down the water scared him.
"minnie... sungie no wan' take a baf no more. da dwain ish gonna eat sungie!" Jisung cried while holding on tightly to Minho’s sweater. Minho was taken aback, not expecting this sort of reaction from Jisung and unsure of what to say.
"The drains not gonna eat you sungie, the drain is too small to eat anything," Minho said while wrapping his arms around the younger and gently rubbing his hand up and down his back in an attempt to soothe Jisungs anxiety about the drain.
"but! but da dwain ate all da water! an! an thewe was a wot of water! so da dwain can eat sungie! minnies a liar!" Jisung cried loudly while Clutching Minho’s sweater even tighter while tucking his face into the crook of Minho’s neck, afraid that he'll put him in the tub with the scary drain.
"Sweetie water is a liquid, so it'll go down the drain very easily. You're not a liquid baby, so you won't go down the drain," Minho tried explaining, but Jisung wasn't having it.
"minnies a liar! liar liar pants on fire! da dwains gonna eat sungie!"
At this point Minho didn't know what to do to get through to Jisung, so he did what any other member would logically do in this situation.
...
"Channie!? Can you come here real quick?! I need some help!"
Hearing Minho's call, Chan was quick to make his way into the bathroom, with Innie in his arms sucking on his favorite pacifier.
"What's wrong? Why is sungie crying?" Chan questioned looking around trying to find any context clues to Jisungs tears.
"Sungie is scared of the drain. He's smaller than usual so I think the sound and the sight of the water draining made him scared and I'm not sure how I can calm him down and explain to him that the drain won't swallow him," Minho explained, still rubbing a hand up and down Jisungs back.
Before Chan can speak his thoughts, Jeongin beats him to it.
"sungie, da dwain won' huwt you! it needs to be pwugged to wowk. so sungie won' get sucked in! sungie safe!" Chan beams at Jeongins bright insights while Jisung turns his head towards Jeongin before looking at Minho for confirmation.
"He's right, baby. The drain can't hurt you when it's plugged. Me, Channie, and Jeonginnie will be right here to make sure nothing bad happens to you," Minho said before placing a soft kiss on his forehead, “We’ll get you out of the tub before we unplug the drain, okay?” Minho compromised, and that seemed to reassure Jisung.
With his fears now (almost) completely placated, Jisung let Minho fill the tub and place him in it. He was still a little weary about it, making sure he’s sitting as far away from the drain as possible, but he was sure that should the plug of the drain suddenly unplug that his caregivers would be there to save him. Even so, he still forced Chan to sit by him next to the tub with Innie in his lap so he would hold his hand while Minho helped bathe him. Just in case.
~~~~~~~~~
"There we go! All nice and clean now aren't you sungie?" Minho stated while standing up to get a fluffy towel for his little baby. Jisung didn't like that Minho was walking away, what if the drain suddenly opens up?! With these fears in mind Jisung silently began tearing up and whimpering.
Hearing Jisung whimper is so crushing to Minho's poor heart. He makes his way back in an instant and suddenly Jisung is wrapped up in the towel and is in his arms, safe and sound.
After getting Jisung dressed and ready for bed he makes his way to the living room to meet up with Chan and Jeongin to fulfill the promise of cuddling while watching Pokémon that was made earlier.
Being smushed between two of his caregivers and his best friend was exactly what Jisung needed to forget about not only his stress, but also his fear of drains.
He felt content, so full of love and warm next to his members.