The south part of Boston was peaceful this time of day. You were walking back towards the city proper after going out to gather flowers to brighten your parents' shop. Some people skirted around the dirt pathways, skirts from dresses dusting the ground, boots scraping against the Earth, no one in any particular hurry today, save for the children, a group of which was darting this way and that, one ducking into a cart filled to the brim with straw, others hiding behind crates and walls of nearby buildings, and the rest running off out of sight, a couple darting to the clusters of corn stalks. The closer you got to town, you could hear a younger voice call out, counting numbers. A small breeze picked up, making you instinctually shield the flowers in the basket you were carrying so none of the blooms would scatter. The sight of white caught your eye and you followed, seeing Connor, laying down beside a small boy.
You briefly wondered why he was on a rooftop.
The boy he was with had bright blond hair and was peppered with freckles, an eager grin on his face as he peered over the ledge, out farther than Conner was. The latter of the two looked to the boy, his mouth raising in a small smile as he placed a hand on the crown of the boy's head, gently lowering him down so he would be better hidden in their spot. The voice from before stopped counting, the source of which running out into plain view, standing just off the center of the dirt road, head darting in different directions, presumably trying to look for the other kids. The child, another boy with dark brown hair stood up on the tips of his toes and craned his neck as he looked, trying to see higher up. You smiled at his efforts. The boy ran over to a patch of tall, drying grass, his little hands working to spread the blades apart to look for someone who might've been hiding. You walked over to him, leaning down some so you could face him better.
"Excuse me." You called to his attention, which was given briefly by his eyes shifting up to you and a small turn of the head before going back to his task. You huffed out a gentle laugh. Your eyes darted back up to Connor, who had seen you, waiting for you to make eye contact. Your eyebrows raised a bit as he raised an index finger to his lips for a moment before settling back with the child. "Maybe I could help?" You asked, keeping eye contact with Connor, who had heard you, his eyes narrowing a bit, a small smile stretching his lips. You turned your attention back to the child in front of you. The boy looked up at you, hands still somewhat grasping at errant strands of grass, eyes hopeful.
"You sure can!" His voice enthusiastic, perfectly befitting a young boy. He couldn't have been any older than ten years of age. "Help me find the others. I'm looking for Philip first. He's always the easiest to find." You nodded, setting down your flower basket and prying apart the grass, humoring the boy and pretending to look with him in that area, knowing perfectly well that no one was there. The boy was the first to give up. He sighed a bit dramatically, rising up, his hands on his hips, surveying the area again.
"Where do you think we should look, lady?" He looked up at you, a toothy grin flashing, garnering a closed mouth smile from you in return. You looked around, remembering places that children had decided to make their hiding spots. You didn't want to give too much away, otherwise it'd practically be taking the challenge away. You suggested looking off towards the corn stalks, reasoning that perhaps the kids had scattered throughout well enough that it would've been a lucky guess. Or who knows, maybe you wouldn't find them.
The venture to the corn stalks was rewarding, two girls found hiding there, who groaned with their defeat but accepted and aided the search. It wasn't usually the way one would play hide and seek, but there was a bigger group of kids. They might get bored waiting for too long, you reasoned. With their help, you recovered another three children, including the one hiding in the cart of straw. According to the brunette boy, there were two left. Philip, and another child. Eyes darting back to the building rooftop from before, you saw Connor still laying there, watching the group of kids, along with the boy, who once again had to be gently pushed down so he didn't blow his cover. The kid was obviously giddy though. So close to winning. You grinned, turning back to the kids. The boy you helped earlier saw you looking and followed your gaze, pointing his diminutive finger up to the rooftop.
"There! There he is!" He shouted, jogging to the house. The boy near Connor pouted slightly, while the latter of the two let out a short breath of defeat, sitting up and jumping off the rooftop with grace that shouldn't have belonged to a man of his size. He turned back towards the boy, arms outstretched.
"Jump." He instructed. The boy was obviously skeptical, his eyes darting this way and that, but never settling on Connor. "I will catch you." Batting his eyes a few times, the boy mustered his courage, pausing at the edge of the roof before easing himself off and down below. Connor was true to his word, catching the boy easily, the latter of the two breaking out in a gale of laughter before being set down gingerly on the ground. The boy was easily younger than any of the kids gathered, no older than seven years of age. Connor crouched down to his level, sitting on the balls of his feet and clapped an encouraging pat on the boys back. He gave a toothy grin to Connor.
"Thank you mister Connor." The boy had a small lisp, upper front teeth missing. Connor breathed out a small laugh through his nose, smiling back at the boy.
"You are welcome. You did well." The boy beamed at that, obviously pleased with the praise. You regained your flower basket, pleased to see that it looked relatively intact, save for a bloom that was currently being chewed on by a content looking goat.
"Come on, Philip! We still have to find Nancy!" The brunette waved the younger boy over, who spared a look back at Connor before launching himself to his friends, off to look for the winner of the game. You closed some of the distance between Connor and yourself. He faced you, his hands raising to their usual stance in front of him, one hand lightly clasping the other in what was now a habit for him. You always found that endearing about him.
"That was nice of you." You commented, not being able to help the obvious grin appearing on your face. He answered with a small smile of his own.
"I saw him and the other children playing earlier. He was not doing very well. So I helped." He said simply, you nodding in response. That seemed very much like Connor.
"It was still nice of you. It seems as if you made his entire day better." You looked back to the group of kids, who were splitting up to look for the elusive Nancy. Philip was eagerly helping to search, heading off on his own to look for a bit.
"I am glad. I told him how he could hide better in his surroundings. He should do much better from now on." Connor followed your gaze, watching the kids as they hunted for their companion. "So long as he isn't too eager."
It warmed your heart to see Connor like this. He was almost always polite whenever you'd seen him. A true caring friend to almost everyone he met. Even those who didn't deserve it. Your father took a liking to him as well after him taking the time to go out of his way to help with a theft that the store had suffered some months ago. He was strange to you, never having met someone quite like him, but you never doubted he was a good person. He wasn't bad to look at either, although he probably wasn't aware of this. Either that, or he chose not to acknowledge it.
Connor turned back to you, noticing the flowers in the basket you were carrying.
"Are you heading back into the city?"
"I am, yes. I went out to gather these. Thought they might brighten up the shop a bit." Connor gave a closed mouth smile in response.
"I will walk with you. I am in need of some supplies."
"Excellent. I was hoping for a bit of company."
The two of you ambled side by side into the city proper, now bustling with gathering crowds, and people both individual, and in small clusters visiting several stores, taking time to inspect wares. Some were listening to the town crier in the area. You drowned him out, choosing instead to focus on conversation that was exchanged between yourself and Connor as you made your way down the familiar pathway to your parents' shop. Horse hooves clopped over the road in a steady rhythm some few buildings away followed by the telltale gritty sound of carriage wheels being pulled through. Soldiers in coats of red, white, and blue peppered the area, muskets in hand. You hadn't seen many Regulars lately, which brought you and your family some ease.
Finally reaching the door of the shop, you eased it open, greeting your father who was tending the counter. Placing the basket on the counter, you plucked at the blooms and arranged them a bit so they didn't lay so flat. It didn't take much for them to look presentable. By the time you were done, Connor had begun paying for his purchases.
"So, I never asked. Where are you headed?" You asked, leaning against the counter, arms crossed in front of you.
"New York. I have business there." He stated simply. You nodded, used to the concise answers Connor gave whenever asked about his ventures.
"I see. Well, thank you again for accompanying me here. It was nice to have someone to talk to."
"It was." He agreed, adjusting the bow strapped to his back. The two of you walked side by side to the door of the shop, you opening it for him and him walking past, careful not to bump into you.
"It was good to see you again. Don't be a stranger." You scolded him playfully, pleased to see the beginnings of a smirk rise on his lips.
"I will return. You have my word." His hands were in front of him again, shifting slightly.
"Good. I'll hold you to it." You paused a bit before adding, "And be careful, with whatever you're doing. Alright?" He tensed up a bit before nodding once in aquiescence. Without another word, he began to walk back through the streets, keeping eye contact a little longer with you while doing so before he turned back to the throngs of people, disappearing within in a matter of moments. You remained outside for a moment longer before retreating back into the store to help your parents.
A/N: I'm getting back into Assassin's Creed and have been delving into the heart of the American Revolution lately. ;) I love Connor and there will never ever be enough fiction for him. Ever. I saw a headcanon on Tumblr and I absolutely had to write it out. It's my first delving into the AC universe as far as fiction goes, so I hope I did well with characterization and whatnot. I'm going to see about something with the modern Assassins as well. Desmond specifically. ;)