"Dessie, people like them, their version of 'taking care of' deformed babies isn't raising them."
"What do you mean?"
"They kill them. There's nothing—"
"They don't kill them. They assured us of that. They took one of my brothers."
"Des, have you seen him since then?"
"No, why? The Order was training him."
"He was killed, Dessie. I 'bet my bottom dollar.'"
"I don't think so. They promised he'd be treated well."
"They also said you couldn't marry who you want."
"So? It's to keep our bloodline strong, but now that's ruined 'cause we're all dead except me."
"No, Ezio and Altair are—"
"But there's none of our women left. Our bloodline will thin and disappear."
She was silent, then, "So? I mean: it's not cool your type will disappear, but people like you were never meant to exist anyway. Your ancestors were tortured, and you're living the life others tell you to. That's no way to live."
He was quiet as she continued to read. He wasn't sure when it happened, but eventually, he dozed off, waking occasionally through the night with the iron taste of blood on his tongue and the dull throb of his injuries in his bones. Night passed into morning with the pleasant dreams of killing. He wasn't going to lie: he enjoyed it. He yawned when he woke up, his injuries aching and protesting as he stretched out along Rebecca, who had fallen asleep reading the journal.
He sat up, watching her sleep. Her hair was all over the pillow, and she was drooling slightly, and Desmond couldn't help but smile slightly. She was pretty as she slept, even though most wouldn't say so. He sat there, watching her, until one of the nurses brought in food, and his snarling woke her.
"Des?"
He looked at her, giving the nurse enough time to set the food down and run. "Rebecca."
She smiled and yawned, stretching as she shifted, grabbing his hand. He tensed but didn't pull away. "I smell food."
He gestured to the tray. She sat up properly and picked up one of the sausage links. He smiled and tucked into the food as she did, and half an hour later, Shaun and Lucy walked in, looking as prim and proper as they usually did.
"Ready to go?" Shaun asked.
Desmond hopped out of the bed as he tossed him a shirt and pants.
"Try not to ruin these."
He snarled at him.
"And put these shoes on."
He eyed the shoes like a disease as he pulled on the clothes and stretched.
"We got a visit from da Vinci last night. He delivered your weapons," Lucy said.
"I don't need weapons. And I don't need shoes."
"Yes, Desmond, you need shoes. What are you, a tiny child?"
Desmond snarled at him. "I'll bite your feet off."
"Disgusting," Shaun said, but Desmond was pleased to see him back up a step, turning his feet inward.
Soon enough, though, he was out on the streets of the city again, the feeling of paranoia creeping up. He jumped when he felt Rebecca grab his hand.
"Relax, Des, you're going to be okay."
He growled softly, squeezing her hand and stepping closer. His eyes never held still as they walked through the streets, eventually entering into a small store, half hidden by all the tourist shops, positioned precisely for the residents who knew the city well.
"All rightie, Des, let's get going."
He looked at Rebecca. "Huh?"
"She means," Shaun said disapprovingly, "go find some decent clothes. We'll be right here."
"I'm going to help you," she said, grinning and winking.
Soon enough, he had picked out some tan pants and a black tee shirt. Rebecca insisted on something a little more expensive, and he shook his head, eyeing the black cloak in the corner. It's straps and buckles pulled the sleeves tight on the arms, and the cloak itself would brush his ankles if it fit. It zipped up the front and buckled for extra closure. There were pockets that buckled on the outside, and several on the inside that zipped (from the half what was pulled out for display). Its hood was curved and peaked in the front. He wanted that.
"Look, if you won't by something—"
"I want that." He pointed to the cloak.
"That'll draw a lot of att—"
"It'll hide me."
"What?"
"Look at it. It'll keep me hidden from eyesight. I like it."
She blinked, then walked over and looked at the price tag. She studied it then, shrugged and looked for one his size. She pulled one off the rack and brought it over.
"All right, then. Go try it on. If you're gonna help me, I'm gonna get you goggles. I'll get you a decent pair, all right?"
He nodded and walked into the dressing room, shimmying into the pants and shirt and pulling on the cloak. He pulled the buckles tight and did up the front before pulling the hood over his face and stepping out.
"My, don't you look imposing," one of the store workers said as they passed by.
He smirked. He liked the cloak, feeling it swish as he walked to find Rebecca. She was standing by the wall of goggles, leaning on the counter and talking to the person. He managed to sneak up behind her and place a hand on either side of her, leaning in close. He laughed when she jumped, spinning around to met by the hood.
"D-Dessie?"
He grinned.
"Geezus, you scared me."
"That's what I wanted."
"Well, I'm certainly never getting on your bad side, especially since I've seen how you fight. And if I'm ever walking down a dark alley? You're fucking coming with me. There's gonna be no one who'll touch me."
His grin grew, and she held up a pair of goggles. He pulled down the hood, tilting his head.
"These'll be yours."
He pulled them on, blinking as he looked around in the new set of bulky goggles. They looked like Rebecca's, but were brown leather and white fur instead of black. He pulled them onto his forehead and pulled the hood back up, and Rebecca started laughing, reaching up and tugging on the two lumps on his head.
"You look like you have horns, Dessie!"
He frowned, batting away her hands. "You make me feel less imposing calling me that."
"Daw, sorry Des, I can't help it. I just feel like I've got my own guardian now, and I've seen how cute you are when you sleep—you're just too handsome to think of you as an imposing black guardian."
Desmond scowled, pulling down the hood.
"Sorry, Dessie. Tear off the tags, and I'll pay for them. Go show Lucy and Shaun."
He did so and strolled off, flicking up the hood and hoping he could scare the crap out of them. He found them waiting outside near the window, and he jumped into the window, clawing at the window as he grinned just enough to show his teeth. Lucy jumped, a hand flying to her heart, and Shaun startled, backing off before scowling. He laughed. Rebecca came walking up shortly after as he laughed. He followed her out.
"Nothing but a child," Shaun spat.
Desmond grinned as he left the hood up, his eyes scanning the crowd nervously.
"All right, so we're ready to go?"
Lucy nodded, but Shaun stopped, frowning. "Desmond needs shoes, Rebecca."
"I do not," he growled. "Leave me alone."
Lucy frowned. "He's right. If you're attending the masquerade, you're going to—"
"I'm not wearing shoes. Leave me alone."
Rebecca pursed her lips. "Well, we could get him a pair, but I think he'll be in the shadows for the most part, so—oh, look, the candy store! Come on, Des, we need to get some more chocolate."
Desmond smirked: she was clearly avoiding the issue of shoes. She drug him into the small shop and he pulled down his hood in awe. There were dozens of containers filled with different types of candies.
"Go wild," Rebecca laughed as she walked to the counter to talk to the owner for the chocolate behind the counter.
Desmond stood there for a minute, looking around before walking off to the isles. A young lady appeared by his side.
"Hi! My name's Alicia. Rebecca told me it's your first time here, so let me tell you how it works: there's baskets by the door and little paper baggies throughout the isle. Each different type of candy goes in a different baggie. If you have any questions, ask me."
She winked and produced a basket from nowhere, hopping off to talk to Shaun and Lucy. He walked through each of the isles slowly, looking at everything before he started making his choices. The first thing he got were several of the root beer barrels he had tried, and then the lemon candies, a handful of honey spoons (those had been his one treat back home, and he loved them), and some little sour balls. Rebecca appeared by his side.
"That's it? Get some other things, too. You gotta find your favorite candy. Lucy's assembling her favorites, and Shaun's picking out his gummies."
He blinked. "You don't mind?"
"No, go ahead. I'm gonna go wait for my chocolate."
He watched her walk off, his eyes glued to her hips. They weren't nearly as wide as the women back home, none of them were, but he had to admit they were attractive. Once she disappeared around the corner, he snapped from the trance and kept looking. The next things to join the small assortment were vanilla taffy, candy cigarettes, and something called a jaw breaker—which Desmond saw as a personal challenge. The basket had six little striped baggies.
"Desmond!" he heard Shaun call, and he peeked over the isle. "Come here!"
He slinked over to him, keeping a safe distance until Shaun beckoned him closer.
"If you're going to try different candies, let me suggest these—the Swedish fish and the peach rings."
"Swedish fish?" he asked, creeping closer slowly. Shaun all ready had two small baggies of them.
"It's a recipe from the world before ours. I think Swedish refers to a race of people."
He looked at the red fish-shaped gummies and the small peach rings. He hadn't realized how close he had gotten to Shaun until he felt a hand touch his shoulder, and he jumped.
"And if I may suggest as well, I think you should try the taffy. The vanilla taffy here is world-renown."
He blinked. "I got some."
Shaun smirked and pushed his glasses up his nose. "A man of good taste, I see. Perhaps I was wrong about you. The butter rum and caramel apple are also good. I think you'll enjoy them."
He smiled. "I'll get some of those, too."
"A good lad. Off with you, then. Go get them. And don't listen to Lucy. The licorice here is terribly disgusting. Wait until we land in Manan to get that. And wait for Iyil to get ribbon candy."
He grinned. "All right."
He bounced off to the taffy counter again, getting the two other types of taffy, as well as mango, cherry, chocolate, and Cola.
"A man after my own heart, I see."
He jumped when he heard Shaun's voice from behind him and scowled at the smirk.
"Taffy has always been one of my favorites. Between those and gummies, I'm not entirely sure which are better."
He blinked, then grinned. "It looks good."
"You'd better take my advice: once you have taffy from Shuar Usa, you'll never enjoy any other. You'll be hooked, boy."
He chuckled. "I'll look forward to it."
Lucy came walking up beside Shaun, holding a small basket, and two small baggies.
"All ready infected him, I see," she murmured. She held out the two baggies. "Here, take these."
"What are they?"
"It's rock candy and peppermint. Much better than taffy and whatever else Shaun's infected you with."
He took them gently, and Shaun wrapped a hand around his wrist. "Oh no, I don't think so, Lucy. I'll not be having you tainting him with your tasteless choices in candy."
Lucy huffed, puffing up and taking the candy from him as Shaun released his wrist. She put the candy bags in his basket.
"Tainting? I'd hardly call it that, Shaun. You eat all that nasty chewy stuff all the time. Hard candies are so much nicer."
"That rock candy of yours has string in it. How is that worse than a chewy piece of taffy?"
"You always get it caught in your teeth. Desmond, don't listen to him. Take mine. You'll like them better."
"Bollocks. Your candy choices are disgusting."
"No, I think they're rather good. And I'm sure Desmond will agree once he tastes them."
"Most certainly he will not."
"He will too—"
"Ready to check out, Des?"
He smiled at Rebecca as the other two continued their squabble. Rebecca rolled her eyes when she noticed them, and whispered, "Neither of them are right, you know. The hot candies? They're the best. And so is the chocolate."
She plopped her candy down, wrapped in a box instead of a bag, and let the man at the counter ring up his candy and hers. She grinned, putting a small box in his big brown bag of candies.
"Some chocolates for you to try—"
"Oh, not you, too," Shaun said, scowling. "Your taste in chocolate is vile."
"I'm with Shaun on this one, 'Becca."
Rebecca huffed. "I think it's just fine. And I'm sure you didn't think it was terrible when you started and ate half of it like the pig you are, Luce."
Lucy looked scandalized. "I only ate it because it was the only chocolate on board."
Rebecca laughed. "Right. I bet you've finished the other chocolates I had, hm?"
Lucy blushed, and Desmond laughed. "I-I did not!"
Shaun frowned and looked at her. "I wondered where those extra pounds were coming from."
"Shaun!" Lucy shrieked.
"That's what you get for kicking me out of bed for the past month," Rebecca retorted, putting her hands on her hips.
Desmond had opened the bag of lemon candies and popped one in his mouth. "Guys, shouldn't we head back to the ship?"
They stopped and looked at him before Shaun huffed and stepped forward to pay for his candy. "I suppose you're right, Desmond. If only the girls weren't so argumentative."
"Me, argumentative? Oh, you've got it all backwards, Hastings."
"Oo," Shaun rolled his eyes, "you broke out the last name. I'm quaking in my shoes, Lucy."
Lucy scoffed. "You're a real ass, Shaun."
Shaun looked at her and tipped his hat. "I try my best, love."
She rolled her eyes. They were silent as they walked back to the ship, Shaun and Lucy in the front, and Desmond with his hood up trailing behind Rebecca.
"So which one did you try first?"
"The lemon candy."
"And?"
"I like it."
She smiled at him. "Awesome. Although, I'm sure you'll find the chocolates the best."
Desmond struggle to keep a straight face at the dirty glare Shaun and Lucy sent her, grateful they couldn't see his eyes twinkling with mirth. He shrugged nonchalantly. "Eh, we'll see."
Shaun muttered under his breath, "If he has any sense about him, his favorite will be the—"
"Peppermint," Lucy butted in, her head held high and a confident smile on her lips.
Desmond was beginning to enjoy being with these guys. They were growing on him.
When they got back to the ship, Desmond yelped as he was tackled. Growling, he bit down on the nearest patch of flesh as his ribs screamed in protest. The result was a hand in his stomach and his arms above his head, a vaguely reminiscent head of hair in his face.
"Ezio!"
He growled playfully and squirmed free, getting the man in the gut. They rolled around, nipping and biting, pushing and pulling as they rolled around on the wooden floors.
"Ezio! He's injured!"
"Desmond!"
Desmond stopped, Ezio on top of him with an arm around his neck and him biting Ezio's ear. There was a blonde standing there, hands on his hips. He was dressed in a doctor's outfit, looking at them with a frown. He let go of Ezio's ear and sat Indian-style. They touched noses briefly in an Eskimo kiss. Then, Ezio curled around him, and he leaned against him, stretching his legs out. Ezio moved to rest his head on his legs, and Desmond leaned back on his legs.
He touched Ezio's knee, looking at him. –I didn't know you lived.-
A kiss to his calf. –I'm here, though.-
Desmond moved so it looked like they were spooning. –Miss you.-
A soft stroke on his stomach. –You and I are all that's left now.-
He let his eyes settle on the others.
"I don't get it. They were just wrestling, and now their cuddling?" Lucy said.
The man frowned, sitting on one of the chairs brought out. "Well, they are related. I do believe Ezio is his uncle."
"Seriously?" Rebecca shouted. "He doesn't look much older than Dessie!"
"It was his older brother who married first."
"So?"
Ezio pressed a kiss to the back of his neck. –Missed you.-
He looked back at his uncle. –Missed you, too.-
Ezio smiled softly, wrapping his arm around him. He chuckled and ran a finger over his beard. –You look older.-
-I certainly feel older.-
"They look almost exactly alike."
"That's actually creepy. I'd prefer not to think of them as lov—"
"Shaun, they're not lovers."
Desmond shifted against him to look at Rebecca. Ezio raised an eyebrow. When he grinned in response, Ezio grinned, nipping his ear gently. He pushed playfully at his stomach, and his uncle scoffed, pushing back. Desmond growled and sat up, pouncing on him, and soon, they were rolling on the deck of the airship again.
"Ezio!" the blonde man shrieked when they ran into one of the chairs, and his uncle startled, giving Desmond time to pin him on his back.
"And how do you know that they aren't lovers?" Shaun asked.
"Because I'm his lover."
"You're our lover."
"I'm his lover. I'm sick of being on the couch."
Ezio growled and flipped them over.
"You realize neither of them have said a word yet?" Lucy mentioned.
Desmond winced when his ribs were jostled.
"Yo, Dessie, you can still talk, yeah?"
Desmond looked at Rebecca as Ezio climbed off him and sat. He sat up and moved beside him.
"Yeah… We were just playing."
"That was not playing," Shaun murmured, and Desmond scowled.
"So says the gangly human," Ezio said with a shrug.
Desmond laughed.
"Ezio," the blonde said, exasperated.
"Leonardo," Ezio copied. "Leonardo, meet Desmond. He was Federico's kid. I ran after he did at the command of his mother."
"Yes, I assumed so from Shaun's description. Have you seen the weapons yet?"
"I don't need weapons," he growled, his hostility coming back.
"Ah, my nephew, you do! Look, look—the man is a genius!"
He looked as Ezio held out his foot, a strange contraption attached. It crisscrossed over the foot and when he reached down to press a small button, he startled when claws whizzed out over his toes and one on his heel. He pulled up his sleeves to reveal another such contraption on his hands.
"They make fighting so much easier. I don't know how often you fight, but Leonardo is always heckled and harassed. You should try them!"
"He doesn't need them," Shaun said, frowning.
Desmond looked at him. "What?"
"If your previous fighting is anything to go by, you certainly don't need anything else to make you deadlier."
He laughed. "Where are they?"
"In your room," Lucy murmured.
Desmond hopped up and ran into the ship. There was a small package on his bed, and he tore it open. Ezio came strolling in.
"My nephew, you have grown so much."
"I'm not the one sporting a beard. And your hair has gotten so long!"
He grinned as his uncle sat on his bed. "I haven't seen you since you were sixteen. I've spent the past ten years looking for you."
"I was good at hiding."
"Leonardo had just about given up."
"Who is he, anyway?"
"Leonardo?"
Desmond nodded as he picked up the contraption and let his uncle help him put it on.
"He is a medical officer for the Borgias, as well as an inventor for the Resistance."
"He's a spy?"
He winced when Ezio pinched him with a buckle.
"Yes. And you should've seen the uproar when the Borgias thought they had me as one of their soldiers."
He chuckled. "I bet they were happy."
"Indeed."
"So what's with this masquerade thing?"
"Ah, yes, so you are going?"
"I don't know."
"You are going."
"Okay, I am going."
Ezio laughed, and he found himself grinning.
"The Borgias and Robert de Stable, or whatever his name is, and all of his followers will be there. Our job is to perform Recon, and kill them if possible."
"Won't they recognize you and I?"
Ezio chuckled. "We will be in the shadows, watching for a trap. Altair will be there, too, I hear, if the rumors are true."
"He's ancient."
Ezio laughed. "He's not too much older than us. He was taken in by a man named Malik and his wife, Maria."
"Really?"
"Which brings me to another point—hand me the other arm claw, would you?"
He did as he was told.
"Rebecca, she's your lover, you said?"
He pulled back, frowning. "She said. I wasn't aware of this."
Ezio chuckled. "Well, let me warn you. Be careful of your strength. These… humans are not adequately equipped to handle our strength as our women were."
"What do you mean?"
Ezio paused, staring at the contraption. He sighed. "Their bones are brittle compared to ours."
"Huh?"
He looked up at him, a serious look in his eyes. "I have broken many of Leonardo's bones from instincts."
"Wha-at?" He jerked back.
"I have broken several of Leonardo's bones by him just waking me with a push to the shoulder."
Desmond shook his head. "Wh-what?"
Ezio frowned. "Animals, we are animals, Desmond. If we lose track of ourselves, we will hurt them. Remember, we were born and bred to kill."
He was silent for a bit as he wiggled his toes in the contraption. "Ezio, did Caterina…"
"Ah, no, my nephew. She did not make it out. She was killed when I left to run a message to the Order."
He looked at his lap. "I… she was really nice."
"And… Emiliano?"
Ezio smiled softly. "I had him strapped to my back for my message running. He is safe with Leonardo's assistants. If only she had lived, we would have produced many strong children."
"Rebecca called the Order stupid for picking our wives for us."
Ezio raised an eyebrow as he ripped open the second package. "Why? It was good for us. We had mates who could withstand what we could give." Ezio purred. "And she could definitely take it."
"She said that we should pick our own mates."
Ezio raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"She said that we should fall in love."
Ezio scoffed. "That is ridiculous. We should breed to build stronger children."
"It is so not ridiculous. Just because you two are blind, doesn't mean the rest of us are."
They looked to the entrance of his room to see Rebecca leaning on the doorframe. "And what do you mean by saying that I can't handle whatever he does?"
Ezio scowled. "Genetically, we have been mutated to be stronger and sturdier."
"And this doesn't bother you? You should be outraged they've taken your life from you!"
"Why? I was happy with my child and my wife. I have my nephew here—"
"That's not what I mean!" Rebecca said, walking in and plopping on the bed. "Aren't you upset that you didn't get to pick who you had kids with? Aren't you upset that you harm your friends when you touch them? You didn't have the chance to say, 'No, I don't want these upgrades.' You were bred. Like a cow. Or a chicken. You didn't get to say, 'I want to be a normal human.' And now you're all dead, sacrificed like lambs at an altar for some ridiculous war, and you claim you can't even have sex with a normal human because you're too strong? Doesn't that irk you a little bit?"
"I never said that," Ezio growled. "I said he must be careful. Listen, young lady, or you will not do well on the battlefield."
"Don't you ever think about living a life outside of blood and death?"
Ezio snarled, and Desmond raised an eyebrow, looking at his uncle. "We've never had a chance, have we?"
"No," Ezio growled. "We have been raised to kill. Having a family or taking a lover is secondary for us, so the Order picks for us."
"That's stupid."
Ezio rose, snarling, "Then why did you not speak out against such crimes? Why did you not raise a fuss? I know that you know that we were under attack. I know that you know that we weren't human. Why did you not come to our defense? Perhaps if you did, my wife and brothers would still be alive!"
Rebecca was shocked into silence. Ezio snarled at her and settled back down on the bed.
"How dare you insult us and our way of life when you did not come to our aid."
Desmond stood up, claws out as he tried the weapon.
"Stand on your toes. It helps."