Pronunciation - Connor Kenway x Reader

You’d been living on the Homestead for nearly a year and you had to admit, it was better than anything you’d ever dreamed of. The small community was enough to create a real atmosphere and a sense of togetherness, and with your job working as a barmaid in the tavern it allowed you to get to know the locals as soon as they arrived. You only ended up in the Homestead after being kicked from your job as a barmaid and home in the middle of New York; it was pure luck that Connor had been passing by when he saw your bags being thrown from the tavern window by your mother because you refused to marry a man you didn’t love, followed by him hearing all the foul language come from your mothers lips about you being an ungrateful whore and a spoilt child. You were surprised that he actually helped you when he heard the language that spilled from your lips, to this day, the situation made you cringe whenever you thought back to it.

“I always knew you’d be an ungrateful whore! Can’t do one thing for your mother, you spoilt brat!”

The bags were flung from the window, you rushing to stop the clothes inside them from falling into the mud that was paved into the cobblestone in front of the failing tavern, you weren’t going to marry a man that you didn’t even know nor love because your mother couldn’t stop drinking the profits that you worked so hard to make every day and night. A snarl left your lips as you pointed up at the window, managing to pick your bags up and place them to the side of you away from the mood.

“Maybe if you stop drinking all the fucking profit then I wouldn’t be throwing this tantrum as you so call it!”
“How dare you! You little—“

“Regardless, stick your tavern where the sun doesn’t shine, I hope you fail miserably! ‘Cause it’s really no wonder that father left you, mother dearest!”

The window slammed shut to the tavern, making you jump on the spot then sigh, shaking your head as you turned to pick your bags up. Only then did a hooded man in white and blue step forward and go for your bags. Hands clenched into fists as you reached up to smack whoever was trying to steal your bags, only when your wrist was grabbed did you look up at the man. Regardless of what you were going to do, you had to confess that the eyes you were looking into were the most beautiful chocolate colour you’d ever seen in your life.

“Are you ok, miss?”

“Huh wha--?”

You couldn’t even speak properly before shaking your head as you pulled your wrist from his hand; a smile grew on your lips as you nodded to him, clearing your throat trying to regain composure in front of the man. You didn’t even know his name and you were acting like a teenager.

“Sorry, yes… I am… Well, apart from being thrown out of my home…” You started then snarled, turning to face the tavern again and shouted at the top of your lungs. “BY A PROFIT DRINKING HARPY!”

The man stared in confusion at you as you turned around; he’d even flinched at your yelling by the looks of things. Going by the fact that he’d stepped away from you ever so slightly, not the reaction you really wanted.

“I refused to marry a man I didn’t care about so… I’m just going to have to find another place to work and live for now, but thank you for asking.”

“I am sorry to hear that… But you worked as a barmaid correct?” He asked curiously, which you nodded to in confirmation. He continued as soon as you’d given him an answer. “I am from a small place called the Homestead, if you have nowhere else to go, I am sure we can get a home for you there with the villagers that live there and give you work in the local tavern.”

You stared at him like he was on fire; no one had ever been so kind to you before. A grin broke onto your lips as you nodded, of course you would take him up on his offer.

“I’d love too! Oh! I’m (y/n).”

“I am Connor, it is a pleasure to meet you (y/n).”

~^^~

The encounter had led you to a new life, one you were happy with. Your mother’s tavern had gone under from what you were aware of when you received a letter from her begging for money and for you to come home. Connor had been there when you’d flung a tankard at the wall of the tavern before the opening, helping you clean up when you’d cut your hand on the broken shards. You’d be lying to yourself if you didn’t find Connor completely gorgeous. He seemed harsh when you were first getting to know him but when he opened up to you, he was just the biggest sweetheart with a heart of gold. He’d do anything for anybody and you couldn’t help but have feelings for him.

“You don’t look like a Connor.”

You accidentally spoke aloud as he cleaned up your cut palm; he glanced up from your hand and raised an eyebrow, confusion written all of his strong face. He opened his mouth and spoke; tone filled with confusion much like his face.

“Pardon?”

“You don’t look like a Connor, it’s not your real name, is it?”

“You… Are smarter than most. My real name is not Connor.”

The feeling of his fingers brushing against your palm as he cleaned the wound was making heat rush to your cheeks; you were silently hoping that it wasn’t obvious as you tried to make a distracting conversation with him.

“So, what is it? Your real name?”

“… Ratonhnhakéton.”

“What.” You stared at him like you’d just dribbled all over the front of your cotton dress. He definitely wasn’t Spanish as you’d first thought; he must have been a Native. You weren’t sure which tribe he belonged to but it was one of the many out there.

“Ratonhnhakéton.”

“Rah-do-ah-hay-tonne?”

“No, Ratonhnhakéton. It is Mohawk.”

“Rah-ton-hake-tonne?”

“Not exactly.”

While he cleaned your wound, he kept repeating his name to you while you attempted to pronounce his native name, though every attempt had you both cringing at how poorly you pronounced the name. You could see why he had now taken on using the name Connor instead of his birth name. Still, you would learn to pronounce it, you swore to yourself that you would. As he finished wrapping the bandage around your hand, you smiled up to him.

“There… Try to be more careful.”

“I will, promise.”

You realised how close the two of you actually were, it was dangerously close. Slowly, you inched forward, maybe if he liked you… Then he would take the lead. Unfortunately, the opening of the door made Connor jump up and away from you, he cleared his throat and hurried out as you sighed and shook your head. Maybe you and Connor weren’t meant to happen.

~^^~

Since the almost kiss that could have happened between Connor and yourself, he seemed to be avoiding you and you didn’t like it. Whenever you appeared, he made his excuses and apologies and disappeared. He didn’t even come into the tavern as often as he used to do, it upset you but you needed to sort this out. So, you headed up to the Davenport mansion to see him, knocking on the door, he ended up being the one that answered, a startled expression on his face.
“Oh… (y/n)”

“Connor, have I done something wrong?”

“No! No, you have not, it is just-“

A snap of branches and loud laughing that neither of you recognised made you jump, eyes narrowing at the sight of three men laughing together holding raccoons and rabbits struggling in their hands. Your hands clasped over your mouth at the sight of it then snarled as Connor passed you by, his bow and arrows on his back.

“Stay here.” Was all he said before running off to chase the poachers that had now rushed off into the woodlands away from the Davenport mansion clearing in order to make their escape. A grumble left your lips as you stood for several minutes, that being deemed enough and ran off to help after nipping inside the mansion and picking up a sharp knife used for cutting vegetables off the side of the kitchen table. You hurried into the woodland area, you usually avoided this sort of area unless you were going to see Myriam, animals roamed these areas and you weren’t sure how safe you actually were even if you had a knife. Compared to Connor and Myriam, you weren’t a trained hunter at all.

“Connor?” You called with little to no reply from the man. A frown grew on your lips as you managed to find one of the poachers standing above a raccoon, his booted foot pressing down on its tail making the poor animal screech and panic. You couldn’t stop yourself from getting involved, wild animals or not, they didn’t deserve this pain.

“HEY! LET THE ANIMAL GO!”

You brandished the knife in front of you, making the poacher laugh as he removed his boot from the raccoon, it shooting off as quickly as it was able too. Swallowing sharply, you stepped back then realised what you had done as the man drew a hunting knife from his belt.

“Ah, a little bitch thinks she’s too big for her boots? I know you, you’re that mouthy barmaid from New York with the piss up of a mother, ain’t you?”

A yelp left your throat as he grabbed you, making you drop the knife you had gotten from the kitchen on the ground. Snarling at him, he just laughed and held his own knife to your throat, caressing the skin of your neck with the blade so delicately that he wouldn’t cause a cut.

“I know what I’m going to do with you for getting in my way… I wonder how pretty your neck would look with a lovely red necklace around it.”

“C-Connor…” You mumbled, trying not to sob in fear of the poacher actually slitting your throat. He hooted in amusement at your pitiful attempt at trying to get Connor to help you. “C-CONNOR!”

“It’s no good sweetheart, your precious Connor can’t hear you.”

A whimper left your lips, if he couldn’t hear you… Maybe he would hear his other name? It was something you had to try.

“RATONHAKETON!” No good, you still couldn’t pronounce it that well, a screech left your lips as you tried again, much to the annoyance of the man whose ear you screeched into. “RATONHNHAKÉTON!”

“Shut up bitch!”

A screech left your throat as you were shoved forward onto the ground upon pronouncing Connor’s real name correctly, a gurgling leaving the mans lips when you landed on the grass below. Your whole body shaking you turned around to see the mans body collapse on a heap on the floor, Connor standing above you with a blade drawn on his wrist that was covered in blood. The blade was retracted and he pulled you up to your knees, your legs gave way making him scoop you up into his arms, bridal style.

“I told you to stay away!”

“I couldn’t, not when animals were being hurt.”

He sighed in disbelief and started to walk back to the mansion with you still in his arms, you wrapped your arms around his neck slightly then shook your head.

“I’m sorry… I just… I had to help.”

“I just did not want to see you get hurt.”

“Connor?” You peered up in confusion; a soft smile was on his face as you giggled then repeated his name. “Ratonhnhakéton.”

“Do not do that again, (y/n). I do not know how I would cope if you were to be hurt.”

A smile grew on your lips as he pressed his lips to your cheek, catching your bottom lip with your two front teeth, when he pulled away from your cheek; you reached up and pressed your lips onto his. Eyes fluttering to a close as he stopped outside the mansion, still holding you in his arms as you kissed.