Connor tucks his knees under his head, staring out at the clearing. There's a sizable buck in the distance, watching over a doe and a fawn. He could shoot the buck now, take it back to the homestead. Miriam has been wanting the antlers of a buck, and the meat would be good to trade. Connor's down wind. He could hunt it.

Haytham coughs, and Connor glares at the buck, ignoring the doe and fawn. He won't be the one to acknowledge the other first.

"If you are planning on ignoring me this entire time, I should just end you now." Haytham sighs, activating his hidden blade behind Connor. Connor is aware of Haytham - of the danger he could provide. Just like the buck, turning his back is dangerous. But Haytham is not behind him, instead sitting on the edge of his vision.

"I understand that you're," Haytham sighs, rolling his eyes. "upset, what with how I didn't inform you of General Washington's indiscretions towards your people, but-"

"Washington wasn't the one to burn my village." Connor interrupts, venom dripping into his tone. "He ordered it, and is as responsible of the act as the men who did burn it, but it was Lee."

"Connor, please." Haytham rolls his eyes, his voice disapointed. "You can't genuinely believe that Washington wouldn't do his own dirty work."

"I never said that." Connor glares deeper at the buck. "But he was retired to Mount Vernon when my village burnt, when my mother died. No other colonists were there. Just Lee and your men."

"I never ordered-"

"I know." Connor says, untucking his knees from under his chin. He moves into a crouch, glaring at the buck. "You never ordered my villages burning. You weren't here. But your men still did it. My mother's blood is on Lee's hands. My blood is on Lee's hands. My problem with you is not born from my problem with them."

"Excuse me?"

"You are a man of inaction." Connor says, his voice as scalding as boiling honey. "You do nothing, holding onto your secrets until it suits you to tell them. You lie and send others to do your dirty work until it suits you."

"Connor-"

"No." Connor says, standing and pulling out his bow. He lines his sights on the buck, watching as the doe and fawn graze near him. "You only make excuses, and you do not explain anything. I have no need for excuses. Not from you."

Connor fires, the arrow striking his target in the eye. The buck falls as Haytham rises. The doe and fawn dart off into the brush, and Connor walks towards the carcass as Haytham leaves. Connor kneels down next to the buck, and Haytham raises his gun towards Connor's head. He pauses, lowers the gun, and leaves.

Ace’s feathers laid flat as he continued to gently stir the little teapot he had ordered, while he forced himself to relax.

Just keep stirring, right? Gotta keep stirring to distill the… aura, or whatever.

A faint knock on the door startled him, his blue feathers puffing up at the thought of being spotted like this. Swiftly, the bird covered the pot behind him with his body, clearing his throat to call out, but still sounding cracked. “Come IN!”

Revvie gently opened the door after that, raising an eyebrow silently at his position and demeanor. “... I saw your post on the board.”

“My what? OH! Right right… the board post… thanks for coming, ace– Revvie. … I’m strong and good at words, mhmm.” 

They didn’t seem to believe that, but closed the door behind them as they came in. “Whatever you say, mate. What’s up?”

“Uh, sit down, we should sit down.”

Ace pointed to one of his chairs, and the human sat down, tapping their fingers on the table as they waited for him. Taking his teapot, the bird set it in the middle of said table and grabbed a cup, pouring some of his tea into it. 

Sitting down himself, he pushed the cup over to them, trying to keep relaxed. “Can you taste test this for me?”

Revvie blinked, but shrugged with a nod, taking the offered cup and looking back at him. “Since when did you make tea? I thought you were strictly a water or gatorade guy.”

“Tea’s just flavored water, right? Gotta uh. Gotta add some stuff to it so I don’t get bored of it.”

His beak snapped shut as they finally took a sip.

…

“Ace.”

“...yeah?”

“What the f–... heck, did you put in this?”

“Is it that bad…?”

Revvie’s stare softened slightly, and they put the cup back down. “Mate, the only reason I didn’t spit it out is through experience in politeness. Please tell me what you put in it.”

Deflating, Ace muttered an answer. “Just some weeds and leaves from nearby trees… that’s what’s in tea, right?”

The human’s eyes widened slightly, and they began rubbing their temples. “Hon, that’s most definitely not what’s in tea.”

“Oh… I’m sorry…”

“No, dude, it’s ok, I’m happy it was me helping and not someone else. I… Why don’t we look for actual tea together? That way we can find one that… won’t make you sick.”

Ace shuffled in his seat, hissing lightly. “It’s uh… not for me…”

Revvie blinked, squinting at him before smiling lightly. “Ah. You trying to be flirty? I dig I dig… for who?”

“............... Julian.”

“Damn, I owe Tommy two hundred bells now.”