She's absolutely not backing down even with all his anger and threat of violence, physical intimidation doesn't quite work when even the largest of men fall at her touch. But Ava doesn't actually want to hurt him. Her fists clench and unclench into his chest as he presses back, intangible fingers hooking straight through fabric and into flesh, because it would be so easy to kill him and it would solve nothing at all.

"Nobody is listening to Stede because he's Nothing! Gone! Worse than dead! And it's not my fault he was a bumbling idiot that called himself Captain aboard another man's vessel!" She had left the crew peacefully, to avoid conflict or inspiring another one of his infamous meltdowns. But he's gone now, and she no longer has to be delicate toward Stede's feelings.

"But don't you dare. Act like I'm some easily intimidated damsel, Ed. If you don't want to be friends anymore. Fine. Be a dramatic bitch about it."