Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
The night air was still cool. Bheem wandered back into the sleeping square, the flame of his torch now dimmed low.
He made his rounds slowly; partly out of duty, mostly out of instinct, just to check. One soldier was snoring into his own elbow. Another had rolled completely off his mat and onto the bare ground. Bheem shook his head fondly, adjusting their blanket gently before moving on.
When he reached Keshav, he had to bite his lip to keep from laughing aloud.
The boy had somehow managed to fall asleep half off his mat, one arm stretched dramatically over his eyes like a prince swooning in a stage play. The other lay limply across his stomach. His legs were tangled in the edge of his blanket, and the actual blanket itself had migrated to the floor beside him like it had been tossed there mid-dream.
Bheem chuckled under his breath.
"Candy-bhaiya," he murmured, shaking his head. "That name's going to haunt you for life."
He knelt down quietly, lifted Keshav's arm off his face, and gently draped the blanket back over him. The boy stirred, mumbling something incoherent (possibly about "saving the last piece for me") and then rolled onto his side, out like a light.
Still smiling, Bheem stood and continued.
Raju wasn't far off; curled comfortably on his side, one arm under his head, mouth slightly open. His jacket had been shoved off and used as a pillow, and a pair of half-eaten mango slices lay forgotten beside him, like he'd dozed off mid-snack.
Bheem crouched near him for a second.
There was a faint snore, light, rhythmic, and the occasional twitch of fingers like Raju was still dreaming about climbing something, or possibly playing some heroic act (knowing him).
Bheem grinned and whispered, "Such a baby."
He didn't linger.
He rose again, brushing dust off his palms, and turned back toward his own bedroll—
Only to see Raghunath still sitting up, examining his sword in the fire torch's light.
Their eyes met. Raghu lowered his sword and smiled at Bheem.
"Can't sleep?" he asked, voice low but calm.
Bheem crossed the distance slowly and dropped to sit beside him with a sigh. "You're one to ask. You said you haven't slept in two nights."
"True."
Bheem glanced sideways at him. "How are you still awake after drinking all that wine?"
Raghunath chuckled, turning the blade slightly so the firelight danced along its edge.
"It's an old man's experience," Raghunath replied with a sly smile, "Never try it yourself though."
