stray kids’ reactions to their s/o having a bad relationship with their parents ↠ all members (2024)

genre: reaction, angst, hurt/comfort
word count: 3k
warnings: brief descriptions or mentions of verbal/emotional/physical abuse, emotional manipulation, dysfunctional family relationships, alcoholism, swearing
request: yes
a/n: to the one who requested this: i hope that, if you have a dysfunctional or abusive relationship with your parents, you’re able to leave the environment safely. or, that the behavior changes or stops soon. make sure that you have somewhere safe you can go and at least one other person you can talk to and who can help you. be safe, darling!

✧ masterlist & tag list info in bio✧

↠↞

bang chan

• chan would be in utter disbelief that people could act like that
• he kept repeating that parents should care about their children
• that the yelling and screaming should stop
• he would, honestly, have a very low opinion of your parents from the moment he found out everything they’d said and done
• he’d not be one to make rash judgements about people,
• but there are some lines he holds firm on
• you’d long ago learned to go blank when your parents started on their sh*t
• it didn’t matter if it was aimed at you
• or at each other
• but yelling, blaming, and cussing wasn’t at all what you wanted to experience or be around
• chan would make damn sure to be there anytime you had to visit your parents
• he didn’t want you to feel alone and small ever again
• he had very clear boundaries with your parents
• (not that they really respected them, though)
• but that didn’t stop him from walking right out of the house, your hand in his, if they tried controlling him
• chan had long ago perfected the art of getting you out of your parents’ house at the first sign of trouble
• he’d always know when something bad was about to happen between you, too
  
• chan would do everything in his power to make you feel better every time you were feeling sh*tty because of your parents
• he firmly believed that no parent should stifle their child like that
• and should never yell or strike you
• n e v e r
• and don’t get him started on the emotional manipulation
• …….
• he’d always comfort you after seeing your parents on those rare times courtesy required you to see them
• the day you’d told chan all the abuse you’d endured, he simply held you as the both of you cried and cried
• and he’d held you all that night, too
• really, chan would hold you every single night
• and soothe your frantic breathing when the nightmares caught up with you
• once, he’d used a phrase that your mother was fond of when she was trying to guilt you into doing things,
• you’d gone blank and stopped hearing him
• from that day forward, he never used the phrase around you again
• chan was adamant that the two of you would not act like your parents in any way
• if he was upset, he’d go for a walk and then come back later to talk calmly about whatever had been upsetting
• he never took things out on you
• no emotional manipulation whatsoever
• and the idea of laying hands on someone in anger was abhorrent to him
• chan would be absolutely committed to making you feel safe and loved

lee minho

• minho was, honestly, pissed
• he was pissed that you were dealing with sh*t from your parents
• he was pissed that you didn’t seem to have a chance to rest these days
• he was pissed that he felt utterly useless in the face of your unhappiness
• he’d noticed that you gazed into space more than usual
• that you were sleeping more
• all minho wanted to do was comfort you
• but you were keeping to yourself
• and, worst of all,
• not asking for help from him
• when you came home from work late with your eyes red-rimmed
• minho immediately picked you up in his arms
• and took you into the bedroom to cuddle you
• over the next hour, he listened as you explained how you’d gone to your parents’ house
• and how they hadn’t let you get a word in edgewise
• that wasn’t anything new, and, all things considered, they hadn’t treated you too badly
• at least no one had decided to slap sense into you
• as you’d tried to tell them that you’d just moved in with minho
• you wanted them to be happy for you,
• but they were scornful and insisted that you were too young at 23
• that you were throwing your life away by moving in with your boyfriend
• you didn’t care
• not really
• but something in you needed them to know.
• so now that you were back home
• and in minho’s arms, you completely fell apart
• more than you’d fallen apart on the drive home
• you’d only let yourself sniffle as you drove bc you knew you’d crash otherwise
• but now you could cry and cry and cry
• and let yourself get tugged into the torrent of emotion that flowed through you
• minho just rubbed your back and murmured sweet nothings to you
• then helped you shower and change into your pajamas
• before tucking you under the covers
• so you could finally let yourself rest
• meanwhile, minho made you some tea and a couple pieces of toast
• hoping the honey he’d smeared on top would help you feel better
• but really, just needed his arms around you

seo changbin

• you’d been at your parents’ for a family gathering
• and came back home with a blank look in your eyes
• knowing that things were strained between you and your parents,
• changbin was ready to support you however you needed
• you kind of fell into his arms
• and just started crying
• your body shook and it took long minutes for you to calm down
• changbin wasn’t quite sure what he could do,
• besides comfort you and make sure you were safe
• he was angry that the situation between you and your parents was worse than he’d known
• as you gulped out the story of your mother taking you into the kitchen
• and hissing thinly veiled insults, telling you that you were selfish,
• changbin heard the blood pound in his ears
• if he could make your mother shut up, he would
• he wished the two of you could live together
• but you were still in college and couldn’t exactly do that easily
• so, he hoped that all the time you spent together
• and the fact that you were taking so many classes
• was enough to get you through still living at home
• it was still hell for you, though
• you hadn’t realized how bad it was until you started dating changbin
• and he’d told you that no, your parents trying to guilt you into not going to college in favor of taking care of them was not normal nor okay
• you were glad you had changbin to give you perspective
• he was the sweetest man you’d ever met
• and you were in awe of how he fought for your right to autonomy
• you couldn’t resist feeling overwhelming tenderness for him
• all he wanted to do was treat you with as much respect and love as he could
• like chan, changbin was incensed that parents would treat their child, or children, like that
• and would definitely have a few sharp words to say to your parents
• he wouldn’t exactly care about the consequences
• there were simply things that were acceptable and some that weren’t
• and he cared about you too much to not say something
• he would do small, sweet things for you
• just to see you smile all the more often
• changbin made a point to tell you just how much he loved you
• every
• single
• day

hwang hyunjin

• as hyunjin watched you crumple on the doorstep of your house
• he knew something was wrong
• rage filled his mind when he saw you crying so brokenly
• he had no idea what had happened
• but he could guess and it made him
• utterly furious
• how dare they
• how dare your father be such a bastard
• if hyunjin could, he would spirit you far, far away from home
• he wanted you to be safe
• hhhhhhhhhhh
• ………….
• he strode forward and sank down on the step next to you
• you tried not to rely on hyunjin too much
• the last thing you wanted was to be codependent
• but with such a crappy home situation
• you needed some sort of support
• and your boyfriend was the best support you could ask for.
• he was understanding
• he would fight for you as long as he could
• and wanted to make all the hurt you’d experienced go away
• he knew that wasn’t necessarily possible
• bc emotional wounds are difficult to heal
• and need a long time to work through
• but he’d be there for you
• with his warm arms around you,
• things seemed a bit less bleak
• but you still couldn’t believe that your father had just threatened to throw you out of the house and to hit you
• to punch your lights out
• your mother had tried to intervene
• but he simply wouldn’t listen
• you’d grabbed your phone and just kept inching toward the door
• hoping you’d make it before anything bad happened
• so now you were there on the stoop, sobbing
• you hadn’t even noticed hyunjin until his arms were around you
• he’d been on his way to come see you
• but now he was your protector
• he held you like a piece of pottery that had broken
• and he was putting you back together
• like you were now kintsugi
• a piece of pottery that was broken but now repaired with gold
• the unseen cracks in your soul slowly,
• so slowly
• being filled with hyunjin’s care and love

han jisung

• jisung would be the one to sneak you out of the house at midnight
• just so he could see you
• and so you could have time free of your parents’ control
• you’d go to the park near his house
• and sit under the trees or feed the ducks
• as soon as he got his license
• and could drive others around
• he’d come pick you up to go to school
• and drive you home,
• making damn sure to take all the longest routes he could
• you’d told your parents that you had an after-school club,
• one that lasted all the way until 5 pm,
• all just so you could spend time with jisung
• and not be at home
• you’d spent many a night with jisung,
• crawling back into bed early in the morning after having slept together in the back seat of his car
• his parents weren’t too fussed about what he did,
• especially since they knew your parents treated you like sh*t.
• in the spring semester of your senior year of high school,
• jisung’s parents had invited you to simply live at their house instead of your own
• or, at least spend the weekends there
• it helped
• it more than helped, since you were happier than you’d ever been when you finally brought as many of your things as possible to jisung’s
• it was lucky that jisung’s parents were such wonderful advocates of your safety.
• they spoke to your parents and convinced them to let you spend more time with jisung
• ….granted, they neglected to tell your parents that jisung was your boyfriend of three years
• but that didn’t matter
• a good friend would do much the same for you
• so, you practically moved in with jisung for that semester as you applied for colleges
• and finally gone a week without shaking
• jisung was determined to help you work through the anxiety your parents’ treatment had done to you
• anytime loud noises made you start shaking or freeze up,
• jisung would just calm you by cuddling you
• and distracting you with any and everything he could think of
• in time, jisung’s presence and love helped you heal

lee felix

• felix wouldn’t understand why anyone would want to be so mean
• what was the point?
• when you’d started dating…
• felix tried to be kind to your parents, he really did!
• but when you’d brought him with you to see your parents
• and you’d gripped his hand so hard that he was afraid his circulation would be cut off,
• he knew something was wrong
• felix had whispered, “you okay, babe?”
• but you’d only been able to grip his hand harder
• felix had just politely made an excuse about needing to go somewhere
• and gotten you both out of there
• you’d explained everything on the way home,
• felix simply holding your hand the whole time
• and trying not to cry
• you’d gotten used to the sh*t your parents threw at you
• but with felix’s heartfelt response
• and his support,
• you really did think about how wrong and twisted it was.
• the alcoholism in your mother’s family had finally manifested
• and turned your mother into….
• just a bit of a monster
• you were far too used to hiding in your room as she raged downstairs
• and then ignoring the reek of alcohol that lingered in the carpet the next morning
• it was difficult to get through school sometimes
• but felix being there definitely helped
• he’d bring you little crystals that he’d left out in fresh water and moonlight
• to help clarify your energy and mind
• slowly but surely as felix was more solidly your boyfriend
• his support was invaluable
• he was there for you when you needed him
• and understanding when you needed time to yourself
• felix read up on how to help people deal with emotional trauma
• and made sure to employ strategies he’d read.
• he didn’t want to do the wrong thing,
• didn’t want to inadvertently hurt you
• ((not that he’d ever be capable of that, though))
• he would give you all the cuddles he could
• felix would literally try to cuddle the sad out of you
• he was convinced he could do it akhfdsjfhg
• when his arms were around you,
• you believed his cuddles would make everything better
• and honestly, they did
• felix’s capacity to love was endless

kim seungmin

• seungmin, like minho, would be so damn angry
• and i mean,,,,,
• a n g r y p u p
• akdfghkjsdfhgakfdghsdkjf
• he wouldn’t put up with any sh*t from your parents
• and it didn’t help that they were totally against you having a boyfriend
• for every reason they could think of
• if either of them said anything sh*tty to you in his presence
• he would be like a simmering cauldron of rage
• seungmin never
• and i mean never
• would dream of yelling around you
• or at you
• or anything like that
• any rage he felt toward your parents wouldn’t be let out anywhere near you
• seungmin knew better than to do that
• he didn’t want to trigger something in you.
• whenever your parents were particularly horrible
• seungmin would just hold you
• you’d moved as far away as you could from home
• and then met seungmin
• so when the two of you travelled,,,,,
• reluctantly;;;
• to your parents’ home for any important holiday or birthday or whatever
• ((even though you really didn’t want to be anywhere near them))
• seungmin became all the more protective of you
• when seungmin felt you were becoming overwhelmed by the controlling and manipulative behavior of your parents,
• and when you’d tried and tried and tried to set boundaries with them
• but they still wouldn’t listen,
• he would hold you all night long
• so tightly you thought you would burst
• but burst with contentment and the feeling of absolute safety

yang jeongin

• jeongin’s caring and sweet nature only extended so far
• he had no love for your parents
• none at all
• you’d told him all the ways in which they’d scarred you
• emotionally, physically;;;;
• and he’d felt like he was about to explode
• he’d thrown his arms around you and just repeated “i’m sorry” over and over again
• jeongin would try to be mature about the situation
• but also wanted to just scream
• he’d dutifully write down all your triggers
• and make damn sure to never cause you to feel uncomfortable because of him
• but jeongin would also be unsure as to how to deal with your parents
• while he’d want to confront them,
• he also wouldn’t have the experience to deal with bad relationships
• not because he’s young or anything
• just that his life is full of love
• he’d want to protect you
• and make sure you’re okay at all times
• jeongin wouldn’t give a sh*t about what your parents thought of him
• why should he when they treat you poorly?
• he’d probably buy you little sweets
• so that if you’re having a bad day,
• at least you have something tasty
• and he’d try to come up with things to take your mind off your parents
• and sometimes that would just be kissing you
• sweetly and soundly
• so that all you could think about
• and feel
• and know
• is him and all the love he feels for you