*~*Mikey's POV*~*
The hours went on, and I sat staring blankly at the other side of the tent, trying to understand words that were being said on the other side. I heard voices, multiple voices, but I couldn't understand a word, which was strange since the tent was a thin fabric, but I decided they were whispering, or speaking in code. Either way, it must have been something I wasn't supposed to hear.
Not long after that, the tent flap opened, and two bowls of food were pushed in. "You have five minutes to eat," the rough voice instructed, and I nodded as a reply that I understood. Frank was still asleep, so I kicked him a few times, poking him all over until he woke up. Just because I was still mad at the man didn't mean I was going to let him miss the meal.
"Wha?" he asked, sitting up slowly. I pushed the bowl into his hands, taking my own.
"Less than five minutes," I said around a mouthful of the gruel. It didn't have much flavor, I was sort of used to flavor, Jacky would sometimes sneak something into our bowls as a reward for a hard day, or maybe just because he liked us, either way it the taste was bland.
Just as I finished my bowl, a hand poked into the tent, and I placed my bowl in the hand, and soon another hand joined to fish for Frank's bowl. He poured the rest into his mouth quickly before handing it over, not wanting to get into any more trouble, I assumed, and swallowed the gruel with a contorted expression. I chuckled, and Frank glared, but I didn't care. We were friends again, at least in my eyes we were.

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The next few days went by slowly. It was starting to get cold in the tent, and the guard brought us each a blanket at one point. I poked my head out of the tent and saw white speckled over places. It must be coming to that time of year where the snow fell and started to freeze things, always my father's least favorite time of year because of the lack of crops. I smiled at the memory, how he would complain each morning and my dear mother would tell him we should move farther south, like to Florida, someone would have told her down at the market that they don't get snow down there.
Frank and I would reminisce about memories more than anything. I didn't want to bring up Alex or Jacky this close to making up, and I really hoped he wouldn't bring up Bert or those people, I didn't like them for an actual reason. Until they gave me a reason to like them, I wouldn't, and my hate for them would grow.
"Do you remember that time Brian locked us out of the shop and we couldn't get in because he didn't want to break the windows?" Frank was laughing. "And we ended up getting almost half of the town helping us pick a lock, or carefully take the door down so it wouldn't cost money?"
"How could I forget? That's the day you got drunk afterwards and got into a bar fight," I said, frowning. He rolled his eyes at me, and I ignored it. "You were such an alcoholic back in the day. I should consider this place a blessing, it doesn't have alcohol."
"Oh," Frank winked at me, "you do not know anything about this camp, my friend. There's alcohol like you wouldn't believe, but it's just for the officers to celebrate the kidnapping of a hundred new people. I've seen it myself."
"What were you doing that would get you to see that?" I asked, interested. I wasn't much of a beer drinking, or alcoholic, I tended to stray from it, but if a cup was offered to me now, I'd gladly take it.
"I was helping clean some of the officer's tents the other day, and he offered me a glass for helping. I don't remember the fellow, but he said it was very hush hush among the common soldiers." Frank shrugged. "It was the best alcohol I'd had in a while, but not the best overall." He was acting like it was no big deal, and I laughed. He was clearly excited he knew something I didn't.
"You're a strange man, Frank," I said, and he rolled his eyes at me for the millionth time. He had developed a sort of attitude from the last time we spoke, I noticed, but his sense of humor was still intact.
"The strangest, and that's what makes me the best."
I couldn't argue there.

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The rest of the week went by slowly, but okay. Frank and I were starting to talk again, which was good, fantastic even. The only problem was that it was starting to get really cold at night, and even during the day. I'd peek out under the tent once in a while and see snow covering some spots.
When the guard opened the tent and said we could leave, standing up was different, and walking was a little more difficult. I hadn't really been able to stand up in that tent, there was barely room for me to stretch out, hardly enough for me to get up and walk. It was midday, the line for dinner forming already. I grabbed Frank's hand and started pulling him towards the line, debating on sneaking in through the back of the tent or not, but Jacky would probably threaten me with the wooden spoon of his that was probably covered in the gruel.
There were some stares sent to us, but we ignored and stood in line. By now, most, if not everyone, knew of the fight and were probably judging us. For the first time since that day, I wondered what they thought about it, if they thought I would have even been strong enough to fight back since I was basically a stick with legs compared to almost everyone here.
"So are you sleeping with us again, or now that we're free are you going back to your new friends?" I asked, keeping my voice down low in case someone would get the wrong impression here.
"Depends," Frank shrugged, "I hope we don't start fighting again, but just depends on the situation, you know?" I knew he was talking about Alex, or maybe the reputation he got during our time apart, and how he'd have to restore it now. I wouldn't put it past him to be honest.
"I see," I said, stepping in front of him in line, moving forward.
We were soon at the front of the line and I held out my hands for my bowl. Alex is the one that handed me the bowl, and he didn't look up until after handing it to me, and he was grinning.
"You're freed!" Alex said enthusiastically. Then he saw Frank behind me wearing a smug smirk. Alex frowned. "You're friends with this clown again?"
"For the time being," I said, and Frank took his bowl and we started walking away before Alex called my name again.
"Are you going to come back here to clean up?" he asked, handing a bowl out to keep the line moving.
I started walking away again, not answering his question. I didn't think I should go help, I didn't do anything for a week, but I also thought I should for the same reason. I liked helping out in the kitchen better than having to be stuck cleaning or organizing, or even kidnapping, no I'd rather be in the kitchen, and I didn't want Jacky to think that I didn't want to and tell me I couldn't.
There was a light blanket of snow under our feet as we walked, which mean that because of the snow, it would be hard to find a place to sit where our backsides wouldn't get wet. "They should set up a tent to eat under," I said as we pushed snow off of a small log that was used as a bench now.
"They do," Frank said, pausing to take in a mouthful of the food, "for the officers."
"Motivation to become an officer," I said, taking a spoonful of the flavorless food for myself.
Frank chuckled, "I have more chance of being an officer than you do."
"True, but no one would take you seriously. You're like a little bunny rabbit in size."
Frank huffed, "No one would take you seriously, either. You look as if you would blow away in the wind if it was too strong one day.
I shrugged, agreeing, and we ate the rest of our meal in silence. I finished first and put my bowl in his lap for him to carry when we got up again. I pulled my sleeves over my hands, which were turning a slight red color from the cold. I started blowing into my sleeves to warm my hands up a little, trying to keep them from going numb. Have I mentioned I hate the cold?
"So are you going to go help?" Frank asked once he finished, and I shrugged.
"Probably. It's most likely pretty damn warm in there, and they need my guidance, I'm the smartest, you know." Frank started laughing and I mocked being hurt. We stood up, and started walking back towards the kitchen tent. Frank was carrying my bowl, which made me happy. "I'm going to invest in some gloves soon," I said, staring down at my hands.
"Go to the tailor, he has some. I got a pair last week, it's not like he can charge anything for them, we don't get paid."
"True." We stopped outside the kitchen tent and I took the bowls from him. We both stood awkwardly. "So, you can go do whatever you normally do?" I suggested, not sure what else to say. He seemed like a lost puppy. "Or you could help; maybe I can talk Jacky into it?"
"No thanks, don't want to spend any more time with them than I have to. I'll go find Jeph or something, see you tonight Mikey Way," Frank said a little too quickly, turning around before walking off to look for Jeph, and I had no idea where Frank could even go to look for him.
The thought didn't stick with me long, and I stepped into the tent, where Alex dropped what he was doing - stacking some of the wooden bowls away - and quickly hugged me. I couldn't hug the kid back, and he was squishing the two bowls between us, which was uncomfortable like you wouldn't believe.
"Calm down," I said, working the bowls out between us, awkwardly patting his back. He pulled away and I saw him smiling.
"I'm glad you survived a week in that little tent with him, I was very worried you were going to die a tragic, mysterious death."
"Frank wouldn't kill me," I said, frowning. Even if he was mad at me beyond reason, he wouldn't kill me. He would have to deal with my parents, and honestly, getting rid of me wouldn't be worth it, or at least in my eyes.
The kid shrugged and grabbed the two bowls from me and threw them into the water basin. I stood still for a moment, realizing I was right on how it was warm in here. I took in the warmth, really enjoying it compared to the cold. From experience, I knew the weather wouldn't get too bad here, wherever we were. I'm pretty sure it's in Virginia still, but I haven't bothered to ask anyone for sure.
"Where's Jacky?" I asked, plunging my hands into the water, which was cold, after I rolled my sleeves up, digging around for the cloth we used to clean off the dishes. Alex paused for a moment, holding the stack of bowls in his hands.
"Bryar summoned him. I think he's talking about setting up a mission and needs provisions packed for the group."
"Mission?"
"Yeah, to track down some of the Union soldiers, find their camp and such. According to some of the people here, they've been here for months more than us and they haven't fought in a battle yet, there's a lot of them that are wanting to, blood lust clearly evident." Alex went back to work, finishing all the dishes that were clean and dry before he stood and started watching me, which I didn't like. His gaze was so demanding, like he was disappointed in me, and that was something I didn't cope with well.
"Won't that be fun." I said, enthusiastically, and Alex agreed without another word.