#he gets determined to figure things out if he’s confused otherwise it’ll bother him forever | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

minniepetals · 5 years ago

Text

heartbeat

— summary: running away from your master is never easy so you deem yourself this will be the last time if you are fatefully brought back to his hold again. so what happens when you stumble upon seven men who says they won’t bring you back? what happens when they promise you their love and care instead?

— pairing: bts x reader

— genre: angst, fluff, hybrid!reader, rich!bts

— word count: 9.7k

— warnings: mentions of abuse, running away from an abusive household, hybrid cruelty, hurt and comfort

— rec music: bts - heartbeat

Soaked and damped, your hair wet with a sweet smell of cherry blossom fragrance as the pretty tiny bubbles surround you. In the room the lights are bright and you feel a little shy as you sit inside the pretty porcelain bathtub while his fingers run through your hair in a gentle manner.

You have never felt this kind of touch before. It's so sweet and gentle and just...kind.

Oh so kind.

You purr when he scratch along your kitten ears and Jimin chuckles lightly as he goes on, cleaning the area around it.

"It's a little torn," he frowns at the sight, fingers careful not to brush around it so that he doesn't inflict more pain. He's sure you've been through enough. He knows you've been through enough. "Does your neck hurt when you move around?" He asks gently, noting at the gash that circles it. You have cuts and bruises almost everywhere and something about that makes his stomach drop while his heart yearns for you.

"It does," you say in a small voice so sweet and careful. He doesn't know why anyone would ever want to hurt such a poor little thing.

"Where else does it hurt?"

Your old bandages were thrown in the trash, left discarded for you to never see and be reminded of the sad memories again. They weren't fixed up in the greatest way but what else could you do? You had no experience with those things, he can tell.

"It's okay, everything else are just scratches," you tell him and Jimin pats you gently on the head.

"You don't have to worry about asking too much, dear one, we're all here to help." You turn yourself slightly to meet his gentle eyes with your own that are painful and yearning for love and care. His heart hurts a bit at the sight so he reaches for your hand through the wet bubbles. "If it hurts, tell us. You won't be bothering anyone."

Your lips form into a small pout, eyes a little confused at his kind gesture. "But...my last master always told me I should never ask for help."

Jimin frowns. "No baby, it won't be like that anymore I promise you."

"It...won't?" You tilt your head just a little because it'll hurt the gash around your neck so he goes to hold your head and allow it to return to its original position. "You won't..bring me back?"

"Oh dear, of course not."

"R-really?" You're almost afraid, too afraid that if you let yourself trust in his kindness, it will backfire on you. What if he's lying? What if he becomes tired of you? What if he comes to find you annoying and brings you back? What will be the consequences then?

You're too afraid to think of the punishments that will happen. You're sure it's something way beyond your own imagination. What if this time when you return, you really won't ever see the light ever again? What if he starves you for weeks? Months? What if he hurts you even more? Or worse, what if he leaves you to...to die?

"This..." you hesitate and he sees the tears already swimming in your eyes. Your fingers hold onto the edge of the bathtub, gripping against it tightly, while your eyes cast away from him and towards the tiles of the bathroom floor. "This isn't the first time."

"No?" You shake your head and had forgotten about the pain on your neck so it hurts you and Jimin lets out a little gasp. "Careful sweetie, you're still in pain."

"I..I-I'm scared." Maybe you shouldn't have told a human this but what difference would it make? He knows anyway just by your tears alone. "I'm so scared."

"We won't bring you back, love," Jimin promises you as he lightly runs his forefinger along your jawline until it reaches your chin. "We won't bring you to the shelter or anywhere you wouldn't want." He carefully allows himself to tilt your head up. Carefully. Because he doesn't want to put you through any more pain. Your skin is soft and wet from the bath, the bubbles covering your shoulders and down so that he cannot see anything else below it but your collarbone peeks out just slightly. It's soft and pink.

Just like those pretty lips of yours. It's glossy. Pink and glossy and looks oh so sweet.

"We'll even keep you safe in here if you want to stay."

You blink for a second. "You'll let me stay?"

"Of course," he hums.

"Even if it means..." your cheeks blush as you bite your lower lip, small figure shrinking for a moment. "Even if it means..forever?"

Jimin smiles and you think it's just a kind gesture he's showing you to show appreciation for the fact that you wish to stay but that his answer would be no. They're always no's. A soft smile before whispering the reluctant reply and you're left to fear for where you will go.

A shelter, a pound.

Either way, you find yourself back in your owner's home and he rewards you with severe punishments. It is never fun but perhaps this is your destiny. If Jimin says no then you will give up. This will be your last run. You won't run away anymore even if it means you will never receive hope and kindness because it lasts for just a little while.

These kind gestures are sweet but the more you have it, the more you understand that it can never last forever. They never do. Because the next thing you know, you're waking up and returning to that dreaded mansion.

"Yes baby."

You stop breathing. You stop breathing.

"Even if it means forever."

You don't know why but those words itself hurts you even more than when the humans that have told you no.

"I'm not..I-I'm not always a good girl," you tell him.

"None of us are," he replies.

"I'm a mess."

He hums. "Me too."

"I'll always be seeking for attention. Loud noises frighten me. I-I get scared very easily. I can be a brat. There are so many things I wish to do and wish to wear. I-I'm not a good person. I'm very selfish."

"Oh baby," he pouts, "are you trying to convince me otherwise? Because it isn't working, you know."

Your brows knit slightly. "It isn't?" Why not? It always worked, so why doesn't it work on him?

"Not one bit," he shakes his head.

"Even so," you look away again, "what about your..friends?"

"Them?" Jimin chuckles. "I'm sure they'd love it if you stayed with us. Taehyungie and Jungkookie really loves little kittens. We've always wanted to get ourselves a hybrid but never got around to it so this must be fate."

"..fate," you whisper.

You think you like this word.

"Mhm. So don't worry about it, okay?"

"But..." you squeeze the bathtub again, hands trembling. "He...he'll come looking for me," you say. "He always does."

He.

Jimin frowns and takes your hands into his. "Baby look at me." You do as he asks and he gives you a determined gaze. "No matter what happens, I promise you we will keep you safe."

"Even if he offers you a ton of money?"

"He's not the only rich resident living on Earth." Ah. You can tell Jimin is rich. After all, this bathroom is anything beyond what you can ever afford. You're sure that even his shirt alone is more expensive than an average human's apartment. "And even if any of us weren't so well off, we still wouldn't fall for such a sick joke. Your life is worth so much more than anything money can offer, baby, value yourself more."

Jimin is so kind you almost forget that this is your first meeting and he doesn't know you so much yet. But he's so willing to keep you safe that it makes you want to cry.

"It's illegal to keep me without owning me," you say.

"Seokjin's a powerful lawyer, baby, he can defend your honor, and Namjoon's a prosecutor who'll go up against your owner if he has to," he tells you otherwise. "We'll fix this, baby, by law or not. He won't ever touch you ever again."

"A-are you sure?" You ask him timidly. "What if you have to face consequences because of me?"

"It doesn't matter."

"You're willing to do this..." you press your lips together, thinking, and then meet his eyes again, "for me..?"

Jimin smiles. "For you." He runs his fingers through your hair again. It's dried a little from the air and by now he's sure you'll end up cold. "Now," he pets your head, "can you tell me your name, kitten?"

No one has really ever asked for your name. Your owner always called you by rude names sometimes you'd even forget you had a name. But you told yourself that if there is anything he can take away from you, it is that he will never be allowed to take your own name.

"..Y/N," you say. "My name is Y/N."

He kisses you gently on your forehead. A sweet, soft kiss.

"I'm Jimin."

Jimin helps to dry you up while Yoongi helps to clean around your cuts and gash and bandage you up.

You sit on the white tiles of the bathroom floor in just a simple piece of Jimin's grey button up shirt. It lays down to your thighs, covering you up well as you face Yoongi with your back in front of Jimin. Your fluffy tail sticks out from the shirt and it's a little too intimate, really, just sitting there in nothing but Jimin's shirt as the two men help clean you up.

But the blowdryer against your soft hair feels so soft it makes your head spin with bubbles and clouds and cherry blossoms you just want to fall asleep right then and there.

Jimin's fingers against your hair feels nice while Yoongi wraps a long bandage from your left wrist to your fingertips. He's already fixed up your neck and tummy, wrapping it with white bandage wraps. He just needs to do your right arm and your legs.

"Did you...fall of a tree?" the older man asks with a small frown.

"I.." you hesitate. "Mhm," you hum to confirm his fears.

Yoongi lays your left hand on your lap gently before moving on to your right side. "That must've hurt."

"It...it did," you admit. "It was scary. I-I fell asleep on the tree because I was scared someone would see me if I slept on the ground and woke up when I began to slip but it was too late to hold on then."

"You can't use your hands for a few days, okay?" Yoongi tells you. "And your legs aren't in the greatest condition either. We'll be taking care of you from now on so you don't have to worry about not being able to do things for yourself for a while." His voice is calm and steady. It's gentle yet demanding. A soft demand, something your master had never used. He's always been harsh and rude but the way Yoongi commands you makes you want to do it all. You don't dread his commands, you welcome it.

"You'll...be taking care of me..?" You ask him timidly.

Jimin presses a small kiss to your head at your question. "Of course, baby." Even though you've told him your name, he still opts to call you baby. You don't mind it, in fact, you like it. It's a pretty nickname and it makes you happy.

But you're still frightened to be happy because you know that happiness doesn't last for long when it comes to you, it never does no matter how much you wish for it.

As if sensing your fear, Yoongi looks you in the eyes and keeps it there as he place a small kiss against your knuckles.

"It's going to be okay, Y/N," he tells you. "Everything will be okay."

You aren't entirely sure yet. "How are you so sure?"

"Because we're here and you're here," he simply says. "Doesn't that already make things a little better?"

Not a little better, a lot better.

When you walk out of the bathroom, the maknae almost melts in sight.

You were pretty when they found you, broken pretty but pretty, and now here you are standing in their home with your body leaned slightly against Jimin for support. His shirt lays prettily against your frame, falling down to your thighs, with a fluffy tail swaying gently from side to side, and ears twitching a little at the sound of their feet padding your way. Jungkook wants to hold you and cuddle you but he knows that will be for another time when you're more comfortable.

There are bandages that hides your skin. One wrapped around your right ear, another around your neck. Two on both your wrists, hands, and fingers. Down your legs. He's sure you also have them hidden beneath Jimin's shirt and that itself makes him tear just slightly.

"How do you feel?" The maknae asks as he walks over carefully. When you don't flinch away and you allow him to run his hand gently against your head, Jungkook grins. "Are you hungry?" At the question, your stomach growls and he gifts you a sad smile. "We made food plenty for you to eat."

"I...um.." You bite your lip, eyes wavering with hesitation.

He reads your mind. "It's okay, you don't have to be afraid," he says and holds a hand out as a offer for you to take.

It's different from your last master. He doesn't hold his hand out, he just grabs you by the collar or hair and drags you about. You never have a choice on whether to go with him or not, he's always dragging you around.

So seeing this is different and it makes your heart confused because you really do want this, whatever it is, to last forever, but you're afraid of it being gone.

While a teardrop falls against your precious cheek, you allow yourself to live in this fantasy and place your hand over his palm.

Jungkook smiles at you. A sweet, sweet smile, and leads you into the kitchen.

"In this house, there are no rules," Seokjin tells you when he puts a bowl of porridge in front of you. Your mouth waters at the sight and smell. "Eat as much as you want, no one will punish you for anything."

You look down at your hands wrapped in bandages and is about to pick up a spoon when someone else takes it instead.

"It's okay to ask for help," Hoseok says with a sweet grin as he scoops up a spoonful of porridge and gently blows on it. "Tomorrow, there'll be more food."

As he hovers the spoon in front of you, you think that this is too good to be true.

"Want to go shopping?"

You blink your eyes at Namjoon's question. It's hard tilting with the gash around your neck so you settle with this instead. "For..what?"

He smiles and dimples appear before his cheeks and your heart almost swoons. It's charming. "For your clothes, of course."

You gasp. "N-no, you shouldn't..- you don't have to."

"But of course we should, Y/N."

You shake your head before wincing at the pain that shoots against your neck and it's their turn to gasp.

"Careful, Y/N, please be careful."

"I'm sorry, I'm okay," you promise Yoongi before turning to Namjoon again. "Y-you don't have to buy me anything," you tell him. "You shouldn't waste your money on someone like me. It's not worth it."

"Oh darling, is this what he's gotten you to think? That you aren't worth anything?" When you don't answer Seokjin's question and your eyes cast to the floor, they know that it must be true.

So Namjoon kneels before you and takes your hands in a gentle manner. He meets your eyes from the floor and sends you a sad smile. "All the things that he's told you are wrong, my love. You are precious as a gemstone, as the most beautiful flower in the universe, as the greatest person to have ever been born. You are worth more than anything in this world."

The sun shines bright from the morning day. It falls past the open curtains, through the glass windows, and touches you in a way you hadn't felt for a long, long time.

It's warm.

Just like Namjoon's hold.

No.

Namjoon's hold is so much more precious. As if you are special, as if you are someone delicate and he doesn't dare to ever break.

"So let us do this for you, hm?" Taehyung says and you look up as he places a few pats on your head.

You feel nice. You feel like you're a good girl and you're being rewarded even though you've done nothing to deserve all this. "O..okay..." You say and they smile. "But I...I-I don't want to go out." You swallow a lump in your throat. Still afraid, still timid. "I don't want to..I don't want to risk anything. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry, sweetheart." Taehyung smiles. "We'll go in your stead, me and Namjoon, and we'll get you all the pretty clothes that you deserve."

Namjoon nods as he stands again and when they're about to walk away, you hold the hem of his shirt just slightly but it's enough to make him understand that you still have something to say. "Please don't get too much."

Namjoon chuckles and ruffles your hair. "Don't count on it, baby."

You sneak out of your bedroom wearing a white cotton sweater that Namjoon and Taehyung got you a few days ago. It lays just against your upper thigh feeling oh so soft against your skin.

Tonight you can't sleep again but this is the first time you don't feel like staying in bed and doing nothing to rid of the nightmares. So you walk out, tiptoeing lightly though you don't know why because you're sure no one else is awake. But then again, you don't want to wake anyone up because you're being too loud.

They've already provided enough for you, you can't be ungrateful.

Still, you aren't sure why you're leaving your bedroom. Maybe for a drink of water, to clear your mind. Maybe hoping someone is awake? If they are, what will you do?

You don't know but your ears catch on something.

The light rapid tapping clicks of a keyboard just downstairs where the large living room is. You walk down with slow steps, legs better than it was when you had first met them. The bandages around them, your tummy, your ears, and your hands are all gone. Yoongi has checked on them everyday and was strict on when he'd take them off.

All that's left is the gash around your neck that still needs a little more time to heal.

It feels like a collar at this point but you don't find any ill will towards it. Yoongi wraps it around you after all.

The living room shows a bright light coming from the screen of a laptop and you find Hoseok sitting on the sofa, his brows creased with focus as his eyes run over the tiny letters written on the screen. For a moment he just sits there reading, a hand rubbing his chin, barely blinking just to keep himself from missing anything.

It's a similar scene to your last master but also so different.

Because Hoseok is kind and although his gaze is serious and firm as he's in his work mood, you know that he is gentle and that he will never hurt you in any way. The past few weeks with them have proved it.

You're mesmerized by the way he sits alone that you almost forget it's wrong to yearn for someone like him.

But seeing that he's awake, you definitely don't want to head back to your room now. You don't know what you'll do but you can't head back to that lonely place and you can't disturb Hoseok.

Yet when you take a step forward, something creeks underneath and you hold your breath as Hoseok looks up and over his shoulder to see who it was.

You think he'll grow angry that you've disturbed him but he doesn't. He isn't the same as your previous master. That isn't Hoseok or any of them because instead of shouting at you to return to your room, his face contours into a soft expression and the crease between his brows disappears for a moment.

"What is it, kitten?" His voice is strained from working over hours but it welcomes you in. "Can't sleep?" He asks.

You want to nod your head but your neck hinders it so you're forced to speak up. "Mm-hmm."

He extend a hand out at your soft hum, offering you to come along. You allow yourself to go at his request, feet padding softly against the floor.

He lets you sit next to him on the sofa, snaking his arm around your waist and pulling you in close yet deeming you not close enough so he settles you on his lap instead. You blush a deep rose color and hope that the darkness hides your face but the screen in front of the two of you only illuminates it. He chuckles gently, carefully placing you between his legs as he holds you close and breathes in your sweet scent. Hoseok leans in as if he can't get enough of you, places a kiss on your head, on your cheek, and against the bandages of your neck.

"Keep me company, hm?"

You've never felt so loved before. Not before leaving your master's mansion and accidentally meeting them.

But Jimin said it was fate. Jimin said this isn't accidental.

A serendipity.

You like that word. You like serendipity.

So you allow yourself to lay your head against Hoseok's chest, curling up against him. It's a little difficult with your neck but you do well eventually getting into a comfortable position. He smells nice, they always smell nice, and when he places a hand against your thigh, your tail curls around it subconsciously.

You can sleep now.

It soft and warm and you know you can trust him.

Some nights are better than others.

Some nights you'll wake up or you can't fall asleep at all and you'll stay cooped up in your bedroom, hugging the blanket, hugging the pillow, hiding yourself from the world, and cry silently to yourself. Those nights they can usually tell what has happened the morning after because you'll have bags under your eyes.

"Baby don't be afraid to wake us up if you have to," Jungkook tells you.

"Would you like to sleep with us?" Taehyung offers. "Will that make you feel better? Because it always makes me feel better sleeping with others. I can hug them and they'll hold me so that I won't be afraid of the dark."

They are too kind and you're too afraid of using that kindness to your advantage, still afraid of being happy and then growing disappointed all over again. So you sway your body a little from side to side because you can't hurt your neck and although they look like they want to say something further, they nod and let you make your own decision.

You will come around when you feel a little more comfortable.

Some nights are a little more unbearable and usually you can take it, usually the nightmares aren't that bad. But this time when you tried to sleep, any time you'd close your eyes, the images of your old master will appear to torment you over and over again.

The night is scary, you dread the night. Because unlike night, the morning offers you light. The morning offers you Seokjin's sweet pancakes. It gives you their warmth, their arms that wraps around you, their sweet good morning kisses.

So you try to stay awake through the night, hoping for it to just pass by like any other nights.

But tonight is harder than other nights and you're scared and you don't know if you can wait that long until the morning sun appears.

So you take the covers off your body and walk out, legs trembling as they lead you to the first door that is the closest to you. You knock on it softly. Three soft knocks.

It's dark and it's quiet and you think that perhaps the person behind the door can't hear the knocks because it's too soft but Seokjin is a light sleeper so of course he hears it.

Your ears pick up on his footsteps coming your way and you hold your breath, afraid, as he walks over and opens the door.

"I-I'm so sorry," you quickly apologize before he can say anything. "I just..I couldn't sleep and I know it's rude to wake you up in the middle of the night but I was so scared and the nightmares got a little too overwhelming but if you don't wish to see me then I'll gladly leave—"

"Nonsense," someone else speaks up. Their voice is deep and groggy and when you look up, you find Namjoon stepping up from behind Seokjin.

They've mentioned that they usually sleep together, often times switching it up between members because everyone would like a chance to sleep with one another. Split up in groups of two, two, and three. There's even a grand room with a bed bigger than you can ever imagine, that holds about seven or more people. They've told you that if you ever wanted to join along, you didn't have to be shy but you've always opted with sleeping by yourself.

Tonight you have Seokjin and Namjoon.

"Come here, pretty one," Seokjin says as he puts a hand behind your back and ushers you in. Namjoon closes the door behind you and you're led to their bed and laid right in between the two of them.

They hold you gently, careful not to be too strong and accidentally squish you but right now you'd really like to be squished, to know that they're here and they won't ever let go. But it's a little difficult with your sore neck, where the two of them place soft kisses against, and you think maybe you can ask for the tight holds when your neck heals.

Maybe.

For now, you let Seokjin sing you a soft lullaby to sleep even if it means repeating it a few times. He doesn't stop until he's absolutely sure you're asleep between their hold, where your soft purrs ring through the air and Namjoon goes on the brush away a small tear that escapes the corner of your eyes.

"She doesn't deserve any of this," Seokjin whispers into the night as he strokes your cheek.

"One day she'll be strong enough to tell us who he is," Namjoon is sure, "and when that day comes, we'll get him and finally make her ours."

"Legally or...?"

When the younger man smiles, Seokjin can see it through the moonlight glowing past their windows. He doesn't have to say a thing for Seokjin to understand what he means.

Yeah, that'd be something all of them would like.

For you to finally be theirs.

"W-wait..-" You stop Yoongi before he can collect the first aid kit and he looks up a little confused but urges you to go on. "Why...aren't you bandaging my neck up again?" You ask him, eyes filled with conflicting thoughts.

Yet Yoongi only smiles. "You have no need for it anymore," he states simply. "It's all healed now with just the scar left."

"N-no, I.." Your voice trembles and his brows knit together as he wonders what's going on. Surely you'd like the bandages gone, right? Doesn't it feel uncomfortable? It's been a month since you've had it on. You take the first aid kit and place it back on the table and take his hand into yours. "Please wrap it again," you ask of him. "It..scares me. I don't want to look at the scars imprinted on it because it'll remind me of what he did."

"Oh, baby." If Yoongi can, he'd leave the house right now to beat up the man that had ever dared to call himself a man, treating you in ways too cruel for a human, hurting you, leaving you to starve and thirst. It's all his damn fault, he's made you this way. So afraid of the world, too afraid to trust that easily. Yoongi can only wish for you to smile. He wishes to see it but he doesn't think he's ever seen such a precious thing plastered on your face.

So he sighs as he take the roll of bandage to wrap it over your neck like the routine the both of you has gotten used to. He'll tell the boys about this later but for now, Yoongi places a soft kiss against your neck when he finishes.

"You are loved, Y/N, please never forget that."

"How do you feel? Excited?"

"Mmm.." you trail of at Jimin's question, feet hesitant as you stare at the garage filled of vehicles. "Scared," you whisper and he takes your hand to squeeze it gently.

"It's gonna be alright," the oldest of the group assures with a soft smile.

"It's been a while."

"It has, hasn't it?" Taehyung nods as he thinks about it. You were just a small little kitten that had fallen upon their paths and they decided to take you in without hesitation. "But you're going to do great, I know you will."

Jungkook takes the driver seat of the black minivan while Jimin sits in the passenger seat and Taehyung stays in the back with you.

You haven't been out since they've taken you in and quite honestly, you're a nervous wreck. But you also know that if you want to heal, you'll have to take measures into your own hands. They've taken care of you so well so you have to step up the courage for yourself. You'll be alright, you know you will, with Taehyung next to you to hold your hand steady and the other two who checks on you through the rear mirror every once in a while.

It's just a simple task of grocery shopping. You wear a light pink long sleeved plaid mini a-line shirtdress that falls to your thighs. Taehyung likes seeing you in dresses so most of your clothes are just him spoiling you with pretty dresses.

You don't mind it. Well at first you did but he was always so insistent and told you he wanted to spoil you so you couldn't go up against him, not when he's always so willing to give you everything.

It's different from your last master.

Everything is different.

Even the steps you take as you walk around the supermarket and Taehyung and Jimin holds your hand while Jungkook pushes the cart. Your master never allowed you out to do anything and even if he did, his eyes were always on you to make sure you didn't run away. You can never scream aloud for help, he's threatened you so many times to not do that. And because of his status and money, you were always way too afraid to go against him in person.

But here, walking along the maknae line of your caretakers, Jungkook smiles as he sees the swaying of your tail which indicates that you're alright and he has nothing to worry about.

"Hello, do you know where they sell coffee beans?" The boys have their backs turned away as you stare wondrously at the various meat to your side when someone approaches you. It's a hybrid, a she-wolf, and it shouldn't scare you but it does and suddenly your heart is quickening and you can't get any words out.

Jungkook must have noticed because when he turns around and sees you, he's quick to act. "It should be down there, aisle eight," he points and the wolf smiles as she thanks him.

When she leaves, the three of them turns to you. "You okay?" Taehyung asks with concern as he places a hand on your shoulder.

They make it all better so you let out a soft sigh. "I'm sorry."

He shakes his head. "Don't be, my dear. We're so proud of you." He rewards you with a little kiss against your neck and at this point, the neck kisses has come to symbolize their love and care for you. A sign telling you that they're right here, that they won't go anywhere.

"I think we got everything on the list," Jungkook says a few moments later after wondering around the store. He looks over the paper Seokjin had given him again before shoving the thing behind his jean pocket. "Want to buy anything?" He grins your way. "You can get any snacks you'd like."

They look at you as you think for a moment before saying, "Mochi."

Jimin raises a brow, amused. "Mochi?"

"Does it taste good?" You ask and he chuckles.

"Delicious."

"I want some," you say cutely and they proceed on to the frozen section not long after.

"What flavor would you like?" They all look good but as you look around at the variety, Jimin sees that you're more drawn to the pink ones. "Strawberry it is."

When you walk back out to the parking lot, something drips against your skin.

Then another, and another.

Before the four of you realize it's raining and Jimin has his bag of groceries all in one hand while the other rushes to hold his jacket over your head as you all run towards the minivan.

He's quick to open the door and rush you inside while they head towards the trunk to place the groceries in before safely returning to the safety of the van.

You run your hand against Taehyung's hair to flick away the tiny drops of water that drips from the tip of his hair and he goes on to pat along your dress. "You alright?" The man asks and you nod. "Your bandage got a bit damped," he says, pressing his lips together.

"It's okay," you say and Taehyung smiles as he tucks your hair behind your ears.

"Let's get you home."

When you return, the first thing Hoseok does is pull the four of you aside to dry yourselves with towels and change out of your wet clothes while the hyungs take care of putting away the groceries.

"Did you have fun?" The man asks as you sit on a chair while he wraps a new bandage around your neck. You nod at his question and he smiles.

"Next time we'll go to some place more fun," Jungkook promises with a gentle ruffle of your hair.

"Will it be crowded?" You worry.

"It doesn't have to be," he tells you. "Until you're comfortable, we'll only do the things that doesn't involve too many people, alright?"

When Hoseok is finished with your neck, the five of you return to the kitchen where Jimin helps you open your snack.

"It's cold," you shiver at the feel of the soft yet freezing sensation.

The man chuckles as he picks up a piece for you and offers it to your mouth. You take a bite which make things a little more cold but you're too caught up by how sweet and delicious it is to care. "Wow!"

"Delicious, isn't it?"

"Mhm!" You nod enthusiastically and Jimin smiles fondly as he goes to wipe away the white powder that has made itself around your lips with his clean hand.

"I'm so proud of you, baby."

You frown cutely in confusion at your second bite. "But I haven't done anything."

"But you have, my sweet kitten," he tells you otherwise. "You've gotten more comfortable asking us for things and have decided to go out all on your own. We're all so proud of you."

The soft kiss he rewards you with on your forehead makes your heart flutter.

"I have a present for you."

It's a late night. The stars and moon are present in the sky, the curtains closed to keep any creepy things of the night from scaring you, and the lights are on as the eight of you sit around in the comfort of the living room.

You look at Yoongi with confusion as he pulls out a white box with a pretty pink bow wrapped on top. "We all decided to pitch in," he says. "There's two of each from each of us in here all for you."

"For me?" He nods as you look at the box, curiosity peeking in as you wonder how there's two of each gift from the seven men that sits and awaits for you to open the present. You take the box, sniffing instinctively yet smelling nothing that can ruin the surprise.

They watch you steadily, holding their breaths as you untie the pink bow and let it fall away. When you open the box, something unexpected greets you. There are rolls of soft silk that lays in the box, all in different colors, fourteen altogether. It sits prettily inside in rows, soft in colors, not too bright, not too dull.

You take one in hand, an ivory color, and the silk unrolls upon your fingers. Your eyes widen at what it has to offer, untangling into a long piece of silk that looks so similar to something you have gotten used to wearing.

"Th..this..." You look up at Yoongi who holds a steady gaze. It's calm and soft, just the way that makes your heart ache and flutter at the same time. There are tears swimming at the brim of your waterline before he even explains it.

"They're for your neck," he says gently. "We figured it'd feel much better to wear something that doesn't seem like you still have to heal, because you're already doing so well, something that doesn't look like a burden, something that will make you feel better about yourself instead of looking in the mirror and staring at the bandage wrapped around your neck. We wanted to make you feel pretty because you deserve so much more than what this world has to offer, Y/N. You deserve all good things that doesn't always have to remind you of your previous life because you are beyond whatever he had always told you. You are loved and cherished and there is nothing in this world would we like more than for you to know that you will never be alone. We'll always be here for you, Y/N, so you don't have to be afraid anymore."

It's a scary world.

A world that frightens you more than the sleepless nights you'd still sometimes get.

You aren't used to kindness, you aren't used to others seeing you as an equal. Heck, you were even afraid when that hybrid approached you for directions.

But to be here with the ones that have found you laying helplessly on the dirty ground, the ones that have taken you into their sweet home, cleaned you up, fixed up your wounds, fed you, allowed you to have your own room and bed, the ones that have never stopped showing you that they care. They'll always press a kiss somewhere on your body, remind you that you deserve all nice things, shower you with love and affection, and have never gotten angry at you even when you make a slight mistake.

It's as if the universe has finally allowed you to live well, as if this is destiny and that you're meant to be here with them, loved and cared for.

Sometimes you do wish there was something a little more but you know that you cannot be that selfish. You have them as this and for now, that is all you'll ever care to want.

So you push the box aside and you wrap your arms around Yoongi's neck and he allows you to climb into his lap, nuzzling your nose in the crook of his neck and allow yourself to tear up. "Thank you," you whisper.

"Oh, pretty kitten, you deserve the world."

You shake your head lightly. "I don't care about having the world, I just want you."

He meets the eyes of the others with a soft gaze. "You have us, baby."

"Do you ever want to be ours legally?"

You look between Seokjin and Namjoon who sits across from you from the coffee table and stop eating the half eaten apple slice in your hand.

It's a question you love and hate at the same time. Yes you want to be theirs legally, but that would also mean another thing. You aren't dumb, you know Seokjin and Namjoon can take care of these things because they work for the law, fighting for more rights for hybrids but you know that it won't be easy.

It will never be easy for your case.

"Won't that mean..." you trail off, eyes falling to your lap as you plop the last piece of apple in your mouth and return your hands to your lap. You chew onto the fruit slowly, swallowing thickly before looking back up at them, a little more conflicted. "It will mean having to deal with him," you say in a small voice. "It means..I have to see him...won't I?"

"No, baby," Seokjin shakes his head gently. "I will not allow him to see you if you definitely do not wish for that. He won't be able to hurt you ever again."

You curl up into a little ball, arms wrapped around your knees, head hidden halfway against it. "But he's scary," you say, voice timid with a soft whimper. "He'll think of ways to get me back once he knows I'm still alive and..and..-"

"Hey, hey, hey." Namjoon rushes to your side in a calm voice with arms circling around you. "It's okay, baby, we've got you. I promise you everything's going to be okay."

Seokjin comes to your other side. "Any hybrid mistreated by their owners are protected under the law. He will not be able to get past us, I promise you."

"How're you so sure?" You sniff as you lean in closer to their touches. "He's a powerful man."

"There's one of him and seven of us," Namjoon reminds.

"And two of us who knows the laws more than anyone," Seokjin adds.

"Have a little more faith in your freedom, baby, we've got connections too."

"I'm scared," you confess though in all honesty, you don't really have to because they can already tell. Why wouldn't you feel scared? Petrified? This is dealing with your last owner after all.

A man not worthy of being titled a human and Seokjin and Namjoon just wants the nightmares all gone at the snap of their fingers.

But they know that it will be much more than that, something more difficult.

And seeing you in this distressed state, lips whispering sweet comforts into your ears, they meet each other's eyes and there's a silent vow that they give one another.

A vow that they will fix all of this.

You're worth all of it after all and they will never give up on you.

The nights are long but the days grow longer. Insomniac. Trying to hold onto the last pieces of hope you have left in this life.

Them.

It's scary, not knowing what the outcome will be especially when the boys refuse to tell you how the case is going because all they wish is to protect you. You've told them plenty of times that you can take it, that you're strong and brave enough. But even then, they'll only pat your head and say, "I know, babygirl, but let us take care of everything, alright?"

Maybe they're right, maybe you'll go crawling back to your little hole and deem everything and everyone is scary and mean all over again, but it's even more scary not knowing anything.

Seokjin and Namjoon comes home so late and then locking themselves up in their offices. The rest of the boys hold you through it all, keeping you safe in their arms, whispering sweet comforting words to make you feel a little better.

It helps. You know you'd be in a worse condition if it weren't for them, so you allow their warmths to welcome you in.

It's just scary so you refuse to sleep, knowing the nightmares will tear you down all over again. So you stay in the arms of your sweet boys who cradles you and press kisses to your head, petting you, scratching you lightly on your kitten ears just to evoke soft purring out of you.

"Do you think we'll win?" You ask Jungkook timidly as he runs his hands through your hair with a sweet rose scented shampoo. Your fingers play along with the pink bath bubbles hoping to distract yourself but it doesn't really help. "Do you think I'll ever become yours?"

"Oh, baby," he sighs with a gentle smile curling along his lips, fingers stopping midway to press along your human ears and raise your head up. You're pouting just slightly with big round eyes that he can stare at for days if he could. Jungkook leans in, the tip of his nose touching yours, giving you a sweet eskimo kiss. "You're already ours even without the legality."

"I am?"

"If you want to, that is."

"Of course I do!" You wrap your arms around his neck, only to remember you're still in the bath soaking wet a little too late, and a cute gasp leaves your lips when you wet him. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I-I didn't mean-"

"I know baby," he chuckles, "it's alright."

You place your hands back into the water sheepishly with your cheeks rose pink. "I'm just.." you sigh, "I'm just scared, Kookie, and I'm worried about Namjoon and Jin."

"Namjoon will make sure to throw him into prison, sweetie, and Jin will make sure you are legally ours and that he won't get to you. No matter what tricks he has up his sleeves, he won't get away with this, I promise you. They'll take care of him. The laws have been readjusted to protect the hybrids and their rights. We'll win this, I know it, and it may take a while for everything to heal but Y/N," there is a soft gaze resting on his face as he goes to lightly graze along the skin on your neck.

It doesn't hurt anymore but you still like covering it up and the only times it's out there for them to see is in moments like these. A scar to remind you of what has happened but that you're healing day by day, all because of them.

"No matter how long it will take, my sweet kitten, we will never give up on you, you got that? You've got us for the rest of your life."

You smile at his words. "Is that..a threat?"

Jungkook laughs. "No, baby," he shakes his head then leans in to place a soft kiss upon the scar, "it's a promise."

"Jin!" You jump out of Hoseok's hold and run over to the man that finally emerges from his office. Him and Namjoon are always either at the law firm or stuck in their offices trying to win this case and now here he is, hopefully to take a breather. The man welcomes you in his arms and holds you up, chuckling with you greet him with kisses because you miss him. "You alright?" You ask as he sits the two of you down on the sofa beside Taehyung.

He readjusts your position to something more comfortable and you look up from where he holds you, a thumb reaching up and slotting itself right in between his creased brows.

His tired expression softens and Jin sighs with content, knowing all of this will be worth it in the end. "I'm okay, baby," he assures you.

"But we need your help with something," Namjoon says as he comes in to join the group. His arm crosses against his chest, brows furrowed, a look of discomfort as he closes his eyes for a moment of hesitation as if asking anything from you is too much.

"What is it?"

He lets out a sigh before fluttering his eyes open again and meets your gaze. "Sweetheart...can you tell us what happened?"

Oh.

You knew at some point you'd have to come clean about your past and tell them everything. Of how you were brought into his home, what happened, the details of what happened and not just the gist of everything because they know the gist. You're a hybrid who was unlucky to be bought by some cruel man like many other hybrids out there, therefore starved for days, hurt and beaten.

But that's all they know. And they can only guess what happened.

They don't know how you were hurt, how your neck was in such a condition, what horrible things he's made you do, what hurtful words he's told you, they don't know any of the details.

So are you ready?

Seokjin can feel you trembling so he holds you a little tighter, a little closer, pressing your ears against his chest for you to listen to his heartbeat because he knows it calms you down listening to the beat of their hearts. "Oh baby, it's okay. We're right here. You don't have to say a thing if you don't wish to. You don't have to revisit the past, baby. It's okay." He press kisses on top of your head, rubbing his palm upon your arm and back.

And he's right.

They're right here no matter what happens. Always here to comfort, always here for hugs and kisses or to just be the pillar you need when you want to be held, always here to listen.

They aren't like the master you had before. They listen, they care, speaking in soft gentle tones for you, spoiling you with gifts, allowing you to eat whatever and as much as you want, never scolding you for anything except for when you aren't taking care of yourself, but even then they'd promise they'll be the ones to take of you in your stead, until you learn to care for your own self.

The world is scary. Humans are scary, some more than others, some that just seems scary but aren't, most of them you may never come to trust.

But still, they're here. Right here, holding you, not forcing you to do or say anything against your will.

So you shake your head and lean back just a little, wiping away your tears, holding a hand against your heart and take in a deep shaky breath to steady yourself. "No, it's okay," you say, taking Seokjin's hand and squeezing it gently. You look up at the rest who has on the same worried expressions and can feel your heart fluttering with warmth, wanting to cry again but for a different reason. "It's okay, I trust you all."

The story is long and horrible and has you crawling in fear all over again as you relive your nightmare but they're right here for you. Even as you cry and have a breakdown, them telling you you don't have to go on, but you still go on.

For them, and for yourself.

Not everything is alright but they always make it better.

Weeks later, your ears pick up on the entrance door creaking open and Namjoon and Seokjin walks in, suit jackets draping over their arms with their briefcases just hanging on the tip of their fingers, hair ruffled and messy, tired eyes, looking oh so exhausted. They see you emerging from the kitchen floor and you greet them with a small smile just ready to comfort them into making sure they rest in between all of this mess.

Yet something feels a little different than the past days, and when you see their faces brightening at the sight of you, arms held open, you think you understand what that means.

The tears form along your waterline before you can even think of the thoughts, feet rushing at such a fast speed before you can tame yourself, running straight into their arms with sobs escaping you. And so they hold you there, laughing, hugging you back just as tightly, with sighs that indicates that it's over. It's truly over.

You're theirs now.

"You alright, little one?"

It's in the middle of the night, you're in your room head filled with thoughts as you sit on the floor at the foot of your bed, fluffy white rug underneath you, with a pretty familiar box that falls open in front of you. The rain falls hard outside, dropping against your windows, thunder crashing at one point or another, but you aren't afraid as you were before.

You welcome it, tail swaying gently from side to side. Perhaps it just goes to show how angry your last master is but even then he cannot win at this game called your life. You're sheltered in a home that will never let anything bad fall upon you. Sheltered in their arms.

When you look up, Yoongi walks in as the others follow, their eyes casting to the pretty white box you have out on display, scarfs untangled from their rolls, clashing upon one another.

You are more than alright.

"You've taken your scarf off," he takes note of your naked neck as he settles beside you. "You doing alright?"

He rakes his hand into your hair, scratching upon your scalp lightly. "How can I not?" You purr, consciously leaning in closer to him. "I don't think I'm scared of it anymore," you say, placing a hand against your neck. "But the scarfs hides the ugliness so I'm gonna keep wearing it."

"Sweet kitten," Yoongi sighs as he takes you into his lap. "Nothing about you is ugly, you got that?" He says, chiding gently.

"People will say otherwise," you pout.

They don't say anything but Jimin comes forth, putting the box of scarfs to the side, his hand holding your face. Before you can question what he's doing, he peppers kisses all over your face that has you bursting out with giggles because the sweet sensation feels ticklish.

"S-stop," you squeak but he doesn't relent and Yoongi only holds you still in his arms, refusing you to turn away and escape both their grasps.

"Not unless you say you're pretty," the younger man muse.

"Okay, okay! I..-" He lets you hold him still in front of you, faces just about an inch away. "I.." you stutter, "I'm pretty."

Your cheeks are bright pink under the light of your room from the embarrassment of saying such a thing and Jimin chuckles. "Mmh," he hums, voice dangerously low, "you sure are."

The next thing you know, Jimin's lips falls upon yours and your eyes widen, heart drumming loud and hard against your chest almost to the point of you thinking it'll probably take flight.

Your first kiss.

It isn't a peck, a small one that leaves too quickly for your liking, but even as he feels your surprise and hesitation, he doesn't stop there, not when your own eyes eventually flutters shut, and goes in to actually taste your sweet lips against his pillowy ones.

The world feels like it's stop just to allow this to happen, your head spinning in circles still not believing this is actually happening and not understanding why. But you don't pull away because his lips are so addicting, sweet and soft just as you've imagined them to be.

When he leans away a moment later, your face is flushed and Yoongi can feel the heat radiating off you.

"Ah hyung," Jungkook whines from behind the man that has just kissed you, "I wanted to go first."

Oh.

Jimin chuckles when you avoid his eyes and go to hide your face in the crook of Yoongi's neck, curling into a ball against him. "Hmm...I'm guessing babygirl likes it?"

You never knew Jimin could be such a tease.

"Come on," Namjoon sighs, "we're supposed to take things slow, clarify things first, not just go straight for her lips."

Wait-

"Wait, what?" You lean away from Yoongi's hidden shelter, eyes wide and filled with curiosity as you look towards Namjoon for answers. "What does...what did that kiss mean?"

"Shouldn't you, you know," Taehyung chuckles, "ask the one who kissed you?"

"I..-" You don't know how your body can grow hotter by the second but it does and butterflies are flying everywhere in your tummy, heart drumming frustratingly loud.

"You don't know what it means?" Jimin feigns a pout. He holds the side of your face, kisses you on the head and the temple. "You don't know, my sweet innocent kitten?" He tilts your head just a bit to press a kiss against your neck.

You think you do but no one's ever told you such words before.

"Can you..say it?" You ask meekly as you look up at him, eyes gazing through your lashes. "Can you say the words?"

His face softens at your insecurities and the tears that begins to form without your knowledge. "Oh baby," he breaths, "I love you so much."

"We all do," Hoseok says. He takes your hand as Yoongi holds you a little tighter.

"We love you," Seokjin declares.

A tear falls against your precious cheeks and their heart aches at how much you've had to suffer to finally find happiness, to finally find a home. Jimin catches it before it can drip down from your chin and wipes the trail.

Were you lucky to stumble into their paths?

Months ago you'd probably say so sitting in that bubble bath as Jimin washed you. But now you don't think it was ever a happy accident.

Perhaps Jimin was right when he said this is what one would call a serendipity. Hearts written in the constellations before the universe was even created.

And for that, you know you've found your home.

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hopevalley · 6 years ago

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S6E2: Phone Rings & Heartstrings (Episode Write-Up)

You can also read this on my site here.

And here we are at the beginning of another new season! How do you feel? Like it’s been forever? Like it’s been little more than the blink of an eye? I know for me it’s a combination of both. It’s crazy to think a year has passed since S5! But we’ve made it to the next chapter of When Calls the Heart! I wonder what this season will have in store for us?

Plotlines for this episode:

Motherhood

Laura & College

The Telephone Comes to Hope Valley

Rosemary Plays Cupid

Jesse and Clara

The Saloon Closes

Not related to the episode exactly, but I noticed they didn’t reference Jack’s death directly in the “last time” clip. For a second, I thought they weren’t even going to let him have a speaking line, but they gave him half of a sentence. Also unrelated, the new part of the intro is great! I just wonder why they didn’t take the time to do new character bits for the characters, while they were at it. Some of these are pretty outdated.

So here we are at:

Plot #1: Motherhood!

I’ll admit that I was dreading this part a little bit. It’s hard to say where the line is between “teacher” and “mother.” I was afraid one might eclipse the other (and you know which one would be doing the eclipsing, because this is Hallmark). That said, I think overall they did a pretty good job of including the baby without making him this big overwhelming part of the actual story.

So, we find out that Jack Junior is four months old, making it almost May 1916.

The general ‘plot’ here is as follows: Elizabeth has to go back to work and finds it difficult. Molly, Rosemary, Florence, and Clara have agreed to take turns watching the baby, but it bothers Elizabeth that little Jack won’t have a more concrete schedule; she’d rather have a more stable arrangement.

This isn’t a very long or detailed plot, but it works. Everyone I know who had to go back to work bawled their eyes out when they had to drop their babies off at daycare. I know I would! Elizabeth finding it hard to balance being a mother and a teacher makes sense, but the best part about this is that she doesn’t consider quitting teaching for even a second.

First, I think it’s fair to say she needs the money, but second…she loves it! How can she balance Jack with teaching in a way that feels satisfying? That tells her that her child is getting the best arrangement she can afford while also allowing her to work to provide both the necessities and fun things?

Elizabeth’s slight clinginess isn’t really a shock or a surprise to me. It’s natural. She spent four months doing whatever she wanted with her life and her baby, and to have to hand him over to someone else every day for hours and hours… Well, it wouldn’t feel good.

I think the best part of this plot was that, like I said earlier, it wasn’t overdone. Nothing about it felt overdramatic or unnecessary.

And it wrapped up neatly with the next plot on the list:

Plot #2: Laura & College

Laura is out of school, now. In my opinion, it’s definitely that time. She’s gotta be about 15 or 16 by this point, and that’s when education ended for the majority of people. And it’s nice to get to see that transition, because with characters like Gabe, we just didn’t get it.

Free from the constraints of having to be in the classroom, Laura’s taken a job to help out her dad: working part-time at the mercantile. She loves to read, and devours the books Elizabeth loans her, but she’s given up on the idea of college. It costs too much money, and her dad needs her help.

Elizabeth, determined to find a way to make it work, writes to an acquaintance of hers who is an administrator of a preparatory school in Hamilton. She includes Laura’s grades and a recommendation letter.

Laura is accepted as a corresponding (or correspondence) student! It’ll let her study at home and send in her work (or maybe let her do it under Elizabeth’s supervision), so she’s still free to work and help her dad around the farm.

Unfortunately that leaves her little time to do her schoolwork…

So Elizabeth offers a solution that will benefit them both: Laura can be Jack Junior’s nanny! Then she’ll have a little downtime to work on her schoolwork, and it’ll pay more because it’ll be full-time.

Laura accepts the deal!

Again, this plot wasn’t huge or convoluted; it wasn’t dramatic. It was nice! And I loved how the general ‘motherhood concerns’ plot tied into this one. It didn’t need to be heavily intertwined at all. They just needed to connect. Which they did, and quite well.

That said, I don’t know if I’d trust a 15/16-year-old girl with no real babysitting experience to be full-time nanny of my baby! In that way, the solution is…maybe just a pinch too convenient? Wilma was established as being poor, and with a school-age child, maybe she would have been a better choice.

But I can’t deny that there’s a lot of room for future drama with this, too. Laura will have the opportunity to grow as a student and as a nanny! Maybe she’ll make mistakes. Maybe she’ll almost regret accepting it. Maybe… Well, it just leaves things open for some good future potential!

Plot #3: The Telephone Comes to Hope Valley

This plot isn’t really a very big deal, mostly because they skipped through all of the potential drama that would have happened when Abigail had to get people to actually bring the telephone to town. I guess at least Henry mentions that it couldn’t have been easy—and, on the plus side, too, it seems that any of the drama Abigail went through to get the phone there? Was kept from everyone else.

So… the telephone is coming to Hope Valley! There will be a line in the mercantile, the mayor’s office, the jail, and Lee’s office. As Henry says, that’s a good start!

The drama here is all good-natured. Ned tells the company he can definitely figure out the wiring, but uh…he can’t.

He really can’t. He has no idea what he’s looking at, and the directions are confusing…so the big reveal for their four o’clock call is an awkward silent mess. Embarrassing, but also funny in a mostly good-natured sort of way.

The telephone company sends Fiona Miller to straighten things out, which she does, and not without a little sass (or uh, flashin’ a li’l ankle)! She’s easy to like. I hope she sticks around past the second episode, personally, but I can’t quite figure out if she’s meant to be a longstanding cast member or just one of those “couple of episode” characters. It’s easy to imagine it going either way.

Anyway, she fixes things right on up, the phone rings, and Abigail answers it.

Again, another…rather calm plot. It’s giving us a nice set-up for future plotlines by giving the cast access to a telephone. So who knows how things might go? It could be interesting.

That said, the one thing about this plot that I didn’t care for? Bill’s role as a curmudgeon. Was that really necessary? S1 through S4 Bill was a little tactless/thoughtless sometimes, and not emotionally open, but S5 and S6 Bill have been almost unbearably awful. I’ll talk more about this later, but the slight role he played here in this particular plot doesn’t even make sense for his character. He lived in the city for the majority of his life.

I’ll forgive this particular folly if the writers take it in an interesting direction—like Bill being phone-shy (because, for example, he relies a lot on body language/facial expression to have a conversation and gets super awkward on the phone, so he prefers wires due to it giving him the ability to think through what he needs to say and write it down to send). Otherwise it just comes off as more of the same with regards to the figgy pudding plot in the Christmas film: he’s just there to laugh at.

I’m worried that that’ll be the new norm, though. Incoming horrible joke: Bill shouting loudly into the telephone like he’s never used one before. (UGH. Just typing that gave me hives.)

Plot #4: Rosemary Plays Cupid

Now this plot was fun. It was also quiet, kind of muted, not really long, and definitely not meaty. But it served its purpose well. It also gave us some seriously awkward stuff to cringe over that wasn’t Bill’s character. Thank goodness!

So the gist of it is pretty simple: Rosemary decides that Faith and Carson have good teamworking skills, so she ambus—I mean, uh…sets them up! At her house, for dinner! Where everything ends up being awkward and weird, and all Faith and Carson talk about are…beans.

That’s right.

Beans.

Faith eats lots of beans because she can’t cook worth anything, and Carson…does not consume beans. Because they make him gassy. Great dinner conversation!

Afterward, Faith and Carson start to bond a little over how awkward the dinner was (I mean, nothing brings a couple together like complaining about being set up, right?), but Carson gets carried away and says, “Doesn’t she realize how ridiculous that would be?”

Carson was probably trying to make things not-awkward, but all he did was make things…extremely awkward. The worst part (or best part, if we’re talking about the great acting these two did) was how Faith’s face the entire time is kind of like, “Oh crap, I can imagine it…and it’s not bad at all” and Carson drops that “ridiculous” line right on top of it, hurting Faith’s feelings and making everything between them vaguely awful.

Which we didn’t get too much of in this episode. They literally run into each other in the clinic and it’s awkward, but Carson just seems confused about it, and Faith is the one being avoidant.

Rosemary thinks her entire plan was a disaster, but…

Well, we know she got the ball rolling. ;)

Plot #5: Jesse and Clara

I love Jesse and Clara, and here they get a nice, simple little plotline that feels like it’s getting solved in a reasonable amount of time. They’re also both very cute the whole time.

Jesse purchases some land, which comes as a (pleasant) surprise to Clara. He takes her around pointing out where he’d like different buildings to go, and uses the pronoun ‘our’ to describe the barn. When Clara brings it up (“Our barn?”) Jesse responds in the affirmative (“Of course…our barn.”).

Unfortunately Clara thinks this is the beginning of a marriage proposal, but…it’s not. Jesse says it’ll happen eventually, but he wants to be more stable. Clara accepts this, but…it bothers her, so she talks to Abigail about it. Abigail’s advice is mostly to just…talk to Jesse about it, so Clara makes the effort, and Jesse pretty much just repeats himself: he wants to be in a better financial state.

Clara isn’t persuaded by this, because Jesse has a good job already, and gets kind of short/snippy with him. Jesse ends up coming forward and confessing that when he was younger he stole from a general store with some friends and he’s still paying the man back (the parts that his friends got away with).

All is forgiven when he admits that he wants to start with a clean slate: the real reason he hasn’t proposed yet. He doesn’t want something like that marring the beginning of their marriage together. He wants to prove that he’s a better man by making things right where he should, first.

All in all, a pretty good plot. Reasonable. Clara’s disappointment in not getting a proposal was more than understandable. They’ve been courting a long time, so I don’t blame her for thinking it had finally arrived only for it to just be generalized talk.

That said, this could have definitely been a bigger plot? So I’m surprised they left it as just this little thing. Him sending away $10/month could come across as a lot of things if anyone saw him doing it. But props to keeping this storyline simple! The only thing I think I would change is…maybe having Jesse talk to someone else in town he trusts (could have been just about anyone; if Dottie were around I’d probably suggest her, but Lee or Bill would be a good choice, too) to get the incentive to confess the truth to Clara. Even just a small scene where he looks thoughtful, maybe talks to himself a little in that ‘do I tell her’ ‘do I not’ way and then decisively puts down his tools and walks toward town would have gone a long way into making it seem like he was telling her for more reasons than because she’s being snippy and short with him.

Overall, though, a sweet and enjoyable plot. Jesse calling Clara m’dear was so cute it nearly killed me instantly.

Plot #6: The Saloon Closes

This was the meatiest plot of the episode by far, and with good reason: Tom Trevoy’s mother took ill (in a long-term sense), so he and his wife moved to Union City, but he keeps traveling back to Hope Valley to oversee his saloon, but the commute is awful and he isn’t with his family as much as he’d like, so…he decides to sell.

It’s an incredibly profitable business—or at least it has the potential to be, being the only saloon in town, as Henry mentions to Lee—so the fact that it’s going up for sale is a Pretty Big Deal.

Or at least, it is to Bill and Henry.

The short of it is that they both have half the funds ($4,500) and try to get Lee to cough up the other half for a partnership. Lee tells both of them he’ll have to discuss it with Rosemary first. Rosemary (more or less) talks both men into making this venture about her, because of course doing so will get them her approval (even though it’s clear neither of them really want to do these things for her). In the end, she and Lee are split about who they should choose. Rosemary thinks Bill is the safer investment; Lee would like to trust Henry. They disagree so thoroughly that they decide together to not partner with either of them, which leaves Bill and Henry to, uh, partner with one another. They hate the idea but end up talking about it. Unfortunately, they get their money together too late; Tom sells the bar for $1,000 over asking price to an out of town buyer.

How did the out of town buyer even find out about it in less than two days? Who knows.

Suspension of disbelief? Sure, okay. I can buy it easily enough.

Anyway, overall this plot is pretty good. Bill and Henry both make great points about one another: Bill might do the books for the café (we’ve seen him doing this), but he doesn’t oversee daily operations; he’s more or less a silent partner. Henry is definitely a businessman, but he’s had past issues with honesty and, uh, money.

They’re both risks for very different reasons.

But also, they don’t like each other, so it makes sense that they’d make these kinds of digs at each other in order to try and get the upper hand.

I think my favorite part about this plot was at the end when they were working together to try and buy the saloon. I wish we could have gotten that conversation on-screen, though; it would have been great. I’m sure it was mostly about the fact that the investment is pretty sound, they almost can’t lose with it, and do they really want to wait and let someone else buy it? At least if they own it, they can control what happens/how the space is used/et cetera.

Henry and Bill disagree on most things, but neither of them is stupid.

Henry doesn’t know enough about that type of business to be of much use actually doing the physical work involved in keeping it up and running, but he could be great at striking deals and keeping track of profits/loss. Bill knows enough about balancing books to see if Henry’s up to no good, but he’s also a very hands-on kind of guy, so I feel like he could do all right with the ground level kinds of things.

Still, I feel like a partnership between them would go belly-up pretty fast. They just don’t get along in other capacities enough to…make it work long-term, I think.

It’s definitely for the best that someone else bought it up.

But hey, for a second we were able to see Bill and Henry getting along!

Miscellaneous Thoughts:

Molly…had a hair appointment…in…Benson Hills… What? These women are not rich. That was a bad line. Literally anything else could have sufficed. She went to Benson Hills to get a pretty fabric she couldn’t get in town, for example. Or she went there to drop off donations for a church drive. There are so many other things they could have picked that wouldn’t seem ridiculous (not to mention unbelievably shallow in this time period).

Tom…HAS A WIFE???? We’re probably meant to think she’s been around from the beginning, but now it makes me sad she wasn’t around… The saloon owner’s wife could have been a really fun role for somebody to play!

Now, I promised I’d get back to it, so here we go: Bill was easily the worst part about this episode, and the sad thing is, like I’ve said before, he’s my favorite (regular) character! I don’t know why they decided to suddenly swerve Bill into old grumpy-gus curmudgeon territory, but so far there’s been no reason for it; it makes him hard to like and undoes all the character development he went through in the first four seasons. I don’t want to spit out a 3,000-word essay rant about why I hate this, but I figure it deserves a serious mention here, too. I hope this series isn’t going in the direction of making Bill the go-to laugh-at character. That isn’t good humor writing. It’s cheap and lazy. Please don’t let me down, writers.

Also, can I just say how cringey the weird “charming” parts were with Bill in them? You know what I’m talking about. These parts. UGH. They were terrible and weird. I’m not sure what was going on there; it almost feels like bad stage direction. Bill hasn’t done that since Season 2, and even then it was part of a persona he eventually ended up shedding (along with his job as a Mountie). Why bring it back now? It, too, undoes character development. I’ll be keeping a close eye on this.

There were so many random children…I’ve never seen before. I just wanted to point it out.

Why does only Abigail get the ‘modern’ looking telephone?

Baby Jack was cuter in this episode than in most of the stills, and Elizabeth’s nightgown was lovely.

Florence’s expressions aimed at Elizabeth for not leaving fast enough? Priceless. I mean, that’s a good spot of humor there. Nobody is mocking Elizabeth for having feelings, but we can have a good little chuckle at it.

Lee getting busted pretending to take a phone call was so cringey but mostly in a decent way? I don’t think Bill is so tactless he wouldn’t realize what Lee was doing (see my rant about Bill above) but it’s a situation we can all probably relate to a little bit. Nobody likes getting busted for practicing! A better way of doing this scene would be for Bill to look concerned, or amused? Like, “Who are you talking to?” or, “Talking to yourself?” to start out, with no condescension in his tone of voice. But…that’s just me.

Overall Thoughts:

This was a good first regular episode to the season. It definitely gives me hope about the episodes to come! Bring on the good content!

#Season 6 Spoilers #season 6 shenanigans #when calls the heart

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