The camp was larger than expected. Even though it was surrounded with barbed wire fencing, one wouldn't be able to feel claustrophobic even if they tried. Y/N had gotten a tour from the Buck's after she had arrived. She learned that they get fed the same dish every day; potatoes and turnips but were fortunate to live in sustainable circumstances.
It was winter now. The air was crisp with winds blowing sideways making the snow hit their eyes with excessive force. Y/N had her scarf wrapped tightly around her head and neck, making a makeshift hat as she never had one with her. Even with her flight nurse jacket and thickly lined pants and boots, the chill still froze her to her core. Her hands were pulled into her sleeves while they shook from a premature frostbite. She regretted leaving her mitts in her cabin.
Bucky was standing beside her with his arms wrapped tightly around her shoulders, pulling her closer to him for warmth while they waited for Buck to get their water. Their eyes were watering from the winds, and their eyelashes had frosted over.
Buck grabs their cans off of the counter, walking towards the pair.
"Need a hand?", Bucky asks him, talking his arms away from the girl so he could help.
Y/N whines silently, instantly missing the warmth her friend had brought her.
"I wouldn't say no", Buck replies, handing him a bucket and walking next to the other two as they make their way back to their cabin. "Any word on the mail?"
"Nope."
"Another hold up?"
Bucky sighs. "War", he pauses. "Red Cross is having trouble getting mail into the camp."
They stopped in front of another man who was coaxing a cat out from under a cabin. Once he got a hold on the animal, he held it in his arms and turned to the three.
"Spare some water?", he asks.
Dinner
The men from the trio's cabin all had a bowl of soup. They sat around a table, scarfing down the dinner that had been made, all starving from the events of the day. Y/N, however, knew what was in the soup which made her lose her appetite almost immediately. She was laying down on her bed, staring at the bottom of top bunk above hers while the sound of spoons against bowls faded out into nothing but a background buzz.
"What did you say was in this soup?", Benny asks.
"He didn't", someone answers him.
"Rabbit?"
"Yeah, sure. There's been lots of stray rabbits running around under our combine."
Y/N exhales quietly at his response turning to her side so her back was facing the group with her face to the wall. As soon as she did, Benny, the man wondering what was in the soup, realizes what it was. He gags and quickly runs to the other side of the cabin.
"Use a bucket", Bucky calls out.
He vomits into the pale directly after falling to his knees in the corner, hurling into a metal pale.
"Keep it down if you can Benny. Its protein", one of his friends tries to console him.
"The only kind were gonna get until those Red Cross parcels show up", someone else adds on.
"Let's get a move on boys. Almost news time", Buck announces.
Everyone stands up, putting their dishes to the side to set up their homemade radio. Once attached to the light on the wall, the static becomes prominent through the headphones. Y/N turns back over to watch the news unfold, now facing the group. Her flat pillow making no effort in giving her comfort as she bends her arm under her head for extra support.
Buck writes down what he hears on a notepad, all the men around him waiting in anticipation for what is going on in the outside world.
"What is it?", Bucky asks him.
"It's nothing good."
A man knocks on the door. "Brass is here", he notifies.
Brass walks into the room looking at Buck for an update.
"The Brits tried another attack on Monte Cassino. Didn't go well. And, uh, Krauts sent nine or ten divisions to Anzio."
"Pass it on", Kraut says. "We want expectations among the men to be realistic."
The German soldiers shout something outside.
"Fellas, let's go", Bucky says. "Surprise appelle."
Everyone hustles to put the parts of the radio away, ensuring the soldiers wouldn't find anything. Stuffing parts into a hidden compartment in a table and a few in drawers. Y/N sits up quickly, Bucky coming over to her and grabbing her hand, dragging her out of the room with him.
If there was one thing Y/N had learned from Bucky after reuniting in the camp was that he wouldn't let her out of his sight. Everywhere she went, he was no less than 10 feet away. He had lost her once and there was no way he was letting it happen again.
They rush out of their housing and out into the night, lining up in rows in the yard. Y/N hadn't brought out her jacket, so she crossed her arms over her chest in attempt to stop the chattering of her teeth and shivering of her body as it tried tirelessly to warm her up.
The Germans ransacked the cabins. Everything you could see was getting flipped over or thrown to the side. The rest of them were going up and down the lines, counting the number of men they saw.
After about 5 minutes, one man came running out screaming while holding up something in the air.
"Shit...", Y/N mumbled.
Bucky looked over at her, furrowing his brows. "What?"
"He said he found something and I'm guessing that it's the radio."
He looked at her with an amazed expression.
"What?"
"You can speak German?"
"Yeah, I thought you knew that already."
He chuckles lightly and shakes his head.
"They didn't get the headphone", Buck butts in.
"Well, thank god for small miracles", Bucky says.
The so called "leader" of the guards had given the signal for the prisoners to head to bed. Looking down at her shaky and slightly blue hands, Y/N sighs. She rubs them together, blowing hot air into them and follows her group back inside.
"You alright?", Bucky asks the girl.
"You might have to chop my hands off."
"And why's that?"
"Can't feel them anymore."
"You know, I heard that you can warm up your hands by putting them under someone else's shirt."
"Is that so?", she looks around the group and points to a random man in the crowd. "You think I should ask him?", she smirks.
"That's not what I meant", he smiles.
"I will not be putting my hands under your shirt Major, but thanks for the offer."
"Just think of the benefits", he continues to tease.
"There's benefits?"
"Oh, come on, girls would be falling for me left and right if I gave them the opportunity."
"I think I'll get them cut off first."
"You sure?"
"Very."
"You'll do it one day", he mumbles.
"Hm?"
"Nothing", he dismisses. "Now let's get you warmed up", he says while wrapping and arm around her waist, pulling her into his side.