Stuff happening and plot progressing. Yay!

After another stretch of time he came back, and with much discretion, helped her out of her tattered robes. he couldn't help but stare at all of the bruises that Da Vinci saw no need to cover. THey were all over her body. From her head to her ankles. The cuts were extensive too. She had a nasty gash on the side of her face that was sure to scar, and a few jabs on her stomach that made his own want to churn. But he helped her into a peasant-type dress to lay down in, and got her back on her cot.

"all done!" Bello announced, proud of himself for accomplishing a daunting task (that to be frank wasn't really daunting; just awkward). Hali chuckled

"thank you, Bello" She said with sincerity. "I appreciate all you've done"

"aw, don't get all sentimental on me, Hali. You are my friend, and it was my pleasure" He assured her.

"I just Wish Christiano would stick around" she suddenly mentioned, her mood decreasing a tad.

"What is his problem?" Bello grumbled "I mean, this was all his fault!"

"Bello, stop" Hali interjected "Don't play the blame game. We were the ones that stole the apple. if not me, it might have been someone else"

"are you saying you're happy it was you?"

"i dread what they might have done to the other apprentices…. especially the younger ones" She tried to come up with a good response.

"Hali, do not do that to yourself! You didn't deserve this!"

"That is not the point that i was trying to make! I am trying to tell you that I am happy that it was me! A weaker soul might have cracked under the pressure, but i was used to that abuse" She tried to reason- but apparently revealed a bit too much. Bello's eyes stared at her with a look of shock.

"..." he tried to come up with something to say to that. How did this conversation veer so far off course?

"... my home was not a kind place" She responded simply. "Father could not protect me all the time"

Bello swallowed. This conversation needed to end before things got needlessly sour. "i'm going to go find CHristiano… talk some sense into him" He got up, straightening out his clothes

"alright… be safe" She requested, and without missing a beat, he nodded, and left the room. Hali heaved out a stress-filled, anxiety stricken, and relatively embarrassed sigh. That had been far too much information dumped on Bello. Why on earth had she even done that. She wasn't sure, but she eventually chalked it up to exhaustion, and closed her eyes, ready for the quick, and relentless embrace of sleep

Bello, however, was not so lucky.

He traversed the rooftops, almost sure he knew where Christiano was as he processed what he'd heard from Hali. He had known she'd had a bad childhood; what with her mother and various siblings dying rather suddenly. But… being abused? Tortured? He almost couldn't believe it. SHe was strong, stronger than any woman he'd ever known. She wouldn't have let herself get used like that. But maybe… it was… no! He needed to think better of her. She wasn't some slimy undergrounder. She had honor and pride. He pushed the thoughts away as he climbed to the top of the basilica, greeted by the reds and greens of a certain Assassin's robes

"have you anything to say that i cannot equate to whining?" He asked, turning his head in the general direction of Bello.

"She doesn't blame you." He answered "I don't know /why/ she doesn't, but she doesn't. She is too kind." He sighed, sitting. "You know this is your fault"

"si, si. i am a horrible person, i should die, blah blah blah" Christiano waved his hand in a strangely cold manner.

"Do not put words in my mouth, puta" he knocked him lightly in the head. "I know you feel bad. I know you didn't mean it… so i suppose i don't blame you either" Bello groaned at his conclusion

"... you don't?"

"That shocked, are you?" Bello responded to Christiano's question in a joking manner, but looking at his expression, he huffed. "When you are done moping, go see Hali. She'd be happy to see you" He concluded, getting up "i'm going to take on a mission or two to keep my mind occupied"

And with that, Bello left Christiano.