They decided to take turns to keep watch from their hiding place, and Bertrand was the first. He thought Lemony would not be able to sleep, that he wasn't able to ever turn off his thoughts to sleep, but it seemed he was wrong. Or maybe Lemony was simply too exhausted to stay awake. He surely looked like it.
It was strange, really, to see him looking so peaceful for once. He seemed to always have something to worry or complain about. Bertrand got tired very quickly near him. He was the last person he would choose to spend a long mission with.
If he had a choice.
But when he was quiet like that, he was not that bad.
Minutes turned into hours and there was nothing to see outside. Bertrand knew he had to keep his guard up, but it was hard not to let himself get distracted. His eyes often went to his sleeping temporary partner. Was he a light or heavy sleeper? If something happened, how long would it take for him to be up?
Beatrice probably knew. He knew the two spent nights together, even if they tried to hide it. After all they went through together, he found her extremely easy to read.
Lemony was the opposite. The longer Bertrand spent near him, the harder he was to understand. How could someone so intelligent throw away so many opportunities? How could he be so anxious and so reckless at the same time? How had he and Beatrice not driven each other mad yet?
Would he wake up if touched right now?
Bertrand hated the idea of disturbing the peace (both Lemony's and his own), but he needed to find out. Plus, they didn't have mirrors. Plus, they would not be able to clean themselves until the mission. Plus, they would meet Beatrice before that.
Plus, he happened to have ink and a brush in his bag. This was too good a chance for him to miss.
"How old are you?" Lemony whispered in the angriest tone he could. It was very hard to show how furious he was and stay quiet.
Bertrand was unable to answer, as he was biting his lips to avoid bursting into laughter.
Lemony tried to wipe the ink away with his hand, but he soon realized it was a bad idea, as it only made a bigger mess. He signed a very rude word to that kindergartner of a temporary partner he was stuck with.
"I was bored." Bertrand said, after he was finally able to control his laugh.
Lemony had to bite his own lip to avoid shouting.
"Try to relax a little, L." Bertrand handed him a handkerchief. "You take yourself too seriously."
Lemony took a deep breath and cleaned his face. Or tried too. Bertrand surely had wasted a lot of ink on that prank.