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Desmond wasn’t used to crying. It wasn’t something he did, ever. Okay, maybe once or twice in childhood, when he’d taken a bad fall, but not any time in his adult life. Not even leaving home and moving halfway across the country made him shed a tear.
All that changed in the aftermath of being kidnapped by Abstergo. His problems really started when he was reborn as Ezio. He didn’t really have much in common with his ancestor. Ezio came from a loving home with brothers and a sister. If Desmond had any siblings, he didn’t know about them, and his parents…well, his father treated him no different than any other kid on the Farm.
Growing up that way had made Desmond bitter and sarcastic, but he didn’t mind. It wasn’t like he’d ever known anything else. It was a change when he was dumped into carefree Ezio’s life. A brief moment before the memories completely filled his head, Desmond caught sight of his ancestor rallying a group of young men. Was he ever that carefree? Or have that many friends? The world flashed white, and Desmond was synched.
Through Ezio’s eyes, Desmond learned all about family; how it was supposed to be when two parents who loved each other had children they also loved. He learned the joys of having a brother that looked out for him, a sister that he protected, and a younger brother that he could look out for himself. He learned that girls who had disapproving fathers were sweet lovers, and usually had very accessible bedroom windows. He learned a lot from Ezio, and that was just the first day. That night, he slept more peacefully than he’d ever slept before, wrapped in dreams of a life he could only live second-hand.
When he laid in the Animus the next day, thoughts of his family…Ezio’s family…carried him into the memory bank. For once, he looked forward spending time in the machine that, for all intents and purposes, would likely destroy his mind. Even with the very clear example of Subject 16, Desmond couldn’t help but feel excited at the prospect of spending more time in that idyllic life that wasn’t his.
That day, Desmond learned the pain of betrayal as his…Ezio’s…father and brothers where executed unjustly. That night, he cried, tears for the lives he couldn’t save, and his own, which he couldn’t change.