I check the weather console. A crust of frozen pixels still smears across the lower half of the second digit where Moose smacked it earlier, but it seems to read -28°C outside. It should be dark by now, yet the snow clouds have swallowed the night and turned it into a pale fog of blue and grey. When I return my gaze, Viv is watching me with a bemused smile.

“You know whiteouts can generate infrasound?” she says, clearly relishing my curiosity. “Some expedition journals even mention hearing phantom voices.”

I arch a brow. “Phantom voices?”

She nods, eyes bright. “The frequencies are too low for us to consciously hear, but our brains still register them. Many mountaineers report feeling like they’re being watched or followed.”

I glance at the storm raging beyond the glass. Somehow, I fail to share Viv’s enthusiasm for her ‘fun facts.’ 

Then she cups a hand dramatically to her ear.

“What are you—”

“Shh! Listen. Can’t you hear it?”

All I can hear is the hiss of the kettle and Moose clattering our mugs in the sink.

“No, seriously, what—”

Viv’s grin blooms. “It’s saying you should take off your clothes.”

It’s genuinely frustrating how I walk into these things. 

“Right. Of course. Should’ve known the storm was a pervert.” I run a hand down my face. “God knows everyone else here is.” I mutter under my breath.

Viv laughs and leans back on her hands, shoulders brushing the wall behind her. “What can I say? I’m a meteorologist and the storm was pretty clear.”

Moose snorts from the sink, drumming his fingers on the worktop in rhythm with the generators hum.

I shake my head, but it’s impossible not to smile. Hooking my fingers under the hem of my shirt, I tug it over my head in one clean motion. “Yeah, I bet it was.” 

I catch Viv’s hungry eyes following me, tracing over my body. After everything I’ve seen tonight, it suddenly doesn’t feel so shocking that she and Moose have hooked up before.

I toss my t-shirt over the back of my chair with my sweatshirt and glance at her, gauging her reaction.

“Oh, oops,” she says, tugging playfully at my trousers and pulling a face. “The storm was pretty clear.”

I roll my eyes but reach for the waistband of my trousers, slowly tugging them down and dragging my underwear down with them. My cock catches against the fabric and springs free in front of her. Despite everything that’s already happened tonight, it still feels daunting to stand naked before my supervisor.

“Much better,” she teases, her voice playful but dripping with intent. The memory of her on her knees for Moose flashes through my mind, and I shiver at the prospect of being next.

She sinks down, pressing her knees against the floor as both her hands wrap around the base of my cock, and her tongue flicks ever so slowly over the tip. Her cool blue eyes never leave mine as she starts to torture me, and my legs threaten to give way when she plants gentle kisses around the swollen head.

Then, with a smirk, she parts her lips wider and pushes down, taking me into her mouth inch by inch. Her tongue begins to lap as she slides lower, her throat opening to swallow me deeper, until her nose brushes my stomach.

I reach down and run a hand through her hair, my fingers tangling in the soft strands. Rocking my hips in time with her pace, her throat clenches tight around me as I move. Her eyes are still on mine, glinting with challenge as she takes me. 

“Fuck, Viv,” I rasp, fighting to keep my knees steady.

Her hands slide lower, cupping and squeezing my balls, rolling them as her throat massages my cock in ways that make me tremble. I’m panting now, torn between letting her retain control and the raw urge I have to grab her head and use her mouth the way I want.

She finally eases back, her lips sliding off my cock. 

“Mmh, you’ve gone red again, Lucas,” she teases, stroking me lazily with one hand while grinning smugly up at me.

I let out a shaky laugh, my cock throbbing in her grip. “Moose, back me up here. She’s way too good at this.”

Moose sets a steaming mug of tea down on the table in front of each of us. “Aye, I always said she had a mouth on her.” He laughs, reaching back and pushing aside a pile of SD cards to make space for his own. “But hey, you weren’t so bad yourself.”

“You haven’t even seen half of what it can do yet.” She smiles at me, running her tongue over the front of her top teeth.

“Yeah, well… I don’t doubt it. But now it’s your turn.” I take her hands, easing her up from the floor and perching her on the edge of the table.

“Not on my cards you bloody don’t!” Moose protests, scooping up the scattered deck into a neat pile. It seems ironic that my gel pen collection is fair game to be ripped apart but Moose’s sacred cards are untouchable.

Viv laughs, flicking him the last of the cards as she leans back on her elbows. I slip my fingers beneath the hem of her top and she lifts her arms for me. She unclasps her bra with a sly grin, letting it fall away, and my eyes are immediately drawn to her ample chest, her nipples hardening in the cool outpost air.

“Here!” Moose chimes in, tossing a couple of pillows over the table. Viv props one below her head and the other under her lower back. She sinks into them with an exaggerated sigh and begins to undo her trousers. I help her, impatiently pulling them down and past her ankles as I get into position by the side of the table.

Her legs are splayed wide and flushed pink with anticipation. As tempting as it would be to dive straight in, I want to take my time to enjoy this and savour every filthy second. My hand slides up her inner thigh, teasingly slow, fingertips lightly brushing her folds before pulling away, eliciting frustrated, needy sighs from her. I repeat the motion, circling and teasing, before starting over, until I can feel her hips tilt toward me, begging for more.

“God, Lucas…” she moans, reaching out, desperate to drag me where she wants me. 

Deciding she’s had enough teasing, I trail a finger over her swollen clit, circling and pressing as I feel how wet she’s become. She grinds against me, eager for more, so I reach with my other hand and slide a finger inside of her. Her moans immediately grow louder, so I push a second in, feeling her heat clench around me as I trail sloppy kisses over her inner thighs.

When I look up, I see that Moose has one of her nipples between his lips, his huge hand encompassing her other breast as I he kneads it. I had to admire the guy’s recovery time. If I could manage that sort of turnaround at forty-five, I’d consider myself fortunate.

I reach for my mug of tea, holding it under my chin and breathing in the steam. I bring it to my lips and take a long sip, enjoying the feel of the warmth in my throat and chest. Peppermint. Not my favourite, but ideal for what I have in mind. I take another sip, more of a gulp this time as I let the hot minty liquid coat my tongue before swallowing. 

I lean forward and open wide, spreading my tongue as wide as I can, still hot and tingly from the mint tea. Pressing it against her I move my head up and down, dragging it over her sensitive clit. 

The moan that escapes her is delicious. 

“Lucas… wha—? Oh fuck… yes!” she cries as she claws at the pillows. Hearing her fall apart only makes me hungrier. I push her legs wider, holding her while she grinds shamelessly against my face. Every rough lick is awarded by a reaction, a subtle twitch or a desperate moan. 

Between my tongue and whatever Moose is doing, she doesn’t stand a chance. Instead of easing off, I wrap my lips around her clit and suck, finding her dripping hole with two fingers as I begin to fuck the orgasm out of her.

“Oh… oh God! Ah!” Her thighs clamp around my head, shaking violently as her whole body convulses. She bucks against my mouth, broken moans spilling out as I continue to lick her through it, dragging her climax out for as long as I can. 

When she comes back down, I trail kisses down her inner thighs until she collapses back, limp from exhaustion. Another shudder rolls through her as she let’s out a breathless laugh.

“Oh god, a girl could get used to this,” she laughs, burying her face in her arm, a long, satisfied sigh escaping her. 

Moose bolts upright like a soldier suddenly recalled to duty. “Shit! My tea.” He scurries over to where he left it on the counter, taking a tentative before breathing a sound of approval. “It’s still warm.”

He nudges mine toward me. “Here. Drink up you animals.” 

Viv groans from her heap on the table, still catching her breath. Without lifting her head, she gropes for it blindly, fingers finally closing around the handle. She cradles it to her chest like a hot water bottle before dragging herself upright with a long sigh.

The room feels a much more pleasant temperature now, and I’m feeling strangely comfortable despite being so exposed. A thin layer of condensation fogs the windows, and beyond it the whiteout rages on, a blinding vortex of wind and snow.

With my head between Viv’s thighs, it was alarmingly easy to forget where I was. Even now, there’s no telling if it’s night or day, any sense of time erased by the force of nature on the other side of the glass.

Somewhere behind me, Viv and Moose are murmuring to each other, but I hardly register their muffled words. The absence of an outside world only highlighting how bizarre a situation this truly was. A part of me wondered if I would blink awake and all of this would be a dream. 

I lean over, pressing a fingertip to the glass, dragging it down and leaving a jagged trail. On impulse, I trace a messy, uneven heart shape as my mind wanders.

“Oi, Casanova” Moose calls from across the room. “Is that for us?”

My finger hovers over the glass for a moment and I’m immediately aware of what a sentimental idiot I appear. I reach forward again and trace two parallel lines to the ceiling before connecting them together and adding a proud dash to round it off. 

I step back, trying to keep a straight face. “Nope,” I say, pointing at my artistic rendition of a cock and balls. “This one’s for you.” 

Moose whistles, eyebrows shooting up. “Bloody hell. A big’n too.”

Viv rolls her eyes, mug halfway to her lips. “Sorry, how old are you two?”

“What? Suddenly cock and balls are beneath you?” Moose says sarcastically before almost choking on his tea when he realises what he’s said. He waves a hand dramatically. “Weyhey!” He cackles at his own joke, earning a smirk and a shake of the head from Viv.

I take a final mouthful of tea, the last of it’s warmth crawling down into my chest. On the way past the table, I scoop Moose’s empty mug, giving it a rinse in the sink along with my own. Viv continues to sip at hers, cradling it as she bickers with Moose about the proportions of my illustration. 

I don’t know what’s going to happen next, so I finish up cleaning the mugs and perch on the edge of my bunk, enjoying the comfort the soft mattress has to offer. My hands rest loosely in my lap as I just enjoy the warm cosy environment. 

“Hey, don’t let me keep you guys from having fun.” Viv giggles, eyes flicking between me and Moose.

I blush and glance over at him, remembering his ‘offer’ that I had eagerly accepted. He awkwardly shuffles and mutters casual excuses to save us the embarrassment. 

Viv grins at seeing us so flustered. “I’m pretty sure you were going to fuck Lucas? Hmm, what was it,” she teases, tilting her head like she’s just remembered something important. Then she turns fully toward me, her grin widening. “I think he was going to bend you over the table and fuck you slow and proper.”

Heat floods my face, catching me off guard despite already having sucked his cock. Somehow, Viv’s absence this time makes it feel impossibly intimate, and whilst I definitely wasn’t against it, I had to admit that it felt strange. Moose is nearly twenty years older than me, and I’d always assumed he was straight. But then, it didn’t seem like he was joking earlier when he asked if I was serious. 

“I— it’s not. Lucas wasn’t— Look, we don’t—“ Moose stammers, words tumbling out as his face flushes the deepest red I’ve ever seen. “I thought—uhh—we couldn’t… even if we were serious. We don’t have any lube.”

Viv leans back on the table, one hand splayed for support, the other diving into a drawer in the cabinet beside her. After a moment she plonks a small bottle down on the table with a triumphant thud. I lean forward and pick it up.

“Ultrasound gel?” I ask, squinting at the clear liquid.

“Ultrasound gel,” Viv confirms, tapping the bottle, “works just as well.”

“Is it safe?” I ask in disbelief.

“Yep.” Viv grins wickedly.

I glance up at Moose, who gives a silent, hesitant nod.

I clear my throat, trying to sound more confident than I feel. “So, uh… do you want to…?” My voice trails off, unsure how to finish the question without sounding ridiculous.

Moose scratches the back of his neck and looks everywhere except into my eyes. “Uh… I mean… yeah? If you—well… I mean, only if you, you know.” He swallows and let’s out an awkward cough.

I shift slightly, heart thudding, and nod. “Okay… yeah, cool.”

Viv snorts from behind us, mug in hand, leaning back just enough to give us a teasing grin. “You guys are so adorable.”

Moose shoots Viv a half-glare. “Not a word,” he mutters, trying to sound stern but failing spectacularly.

“Uh… so,” I start, voice low and uncertain, “should we…”

Viv snorts again, setting her tea down on the table. “Oh my god, this tension is killing me.” She plucks the gel from my hands like she’s been waiting all along, and steps closer to the bed. Her grin is wicked, knowing. “Here, let me help you boys get started.”

“How do you want it, Lucas?” She asks way too casually. “On your back, or on your hands and knees?” 

I hesitate, considering which position might give me more control. “Erm… I guess hands and knees?”

Viv’s eyebrow arches, and the silence stretches until I realise she’s waiting.

“Oh, right,” I mutter, throat dry. I shuffle forward and crawl onto the bed, the mattress dipping under my weight. My hands press into the thin blanket as I ease down, ass in the air.

Behind me, I hear the cap snap open. “This stuff’s good but it dries quicker than other lubricant,” she states in her scientific matter-of-fact tone. “So…” Her breath brushes warm against the back of my thigh. “…you’re going to need a bit of extra help.”

Before I can take her meaning, something warm and wet presses against my hole and a soft, startled moan falls out of me. My thighs twitch as her tongue circles and teases, dragging across the exposed skin. I feel her hot breath between each lick and I’m left clutching fistfuls of the blanket as I try to stay upright.

“Fuck—” The word falls out of me, muffled into the sheets as I instinctively push back against her mouth. Her thumbs spread me wide and she goes deeper, her tongue working me open as she presses and swirls relentlessly, preparing me for what’s to come. 

She teases mercilessly, flicking the tip of her tongue over my tight hole, then flattening it and dragging up in painfully slow motions that make me shiver. I try to bury my face in the sheets, but the sounds keep slipping out, breathless, needy little whimpers that only seem to spur her on.

“God—Viv—please,” I pant, the words spilling out before I can stop them. My fingers claw at the blanket, desperate, begging for more. Then, without warning, she pulls back and spits directly over my hole. 

When I catch my breath and dare a glance over my shoulder, I see her working the lube over her fingertips. Beside her, Moose has risen from his chair, and is now rolling a condom down the length of his thick cock as he watches me get tongue-fucked and spread out for him.

The sensation of the cool gel on my hole, causes me to flinch. She spreads it generously, and when she pushes against my entrance, her fingers glide in with no resistance. My mouth opens, but nothing comes out. Her fingers curl inside me, finding that spot that makes my whole body twitch in pleasure.

“O-ohh, f–fuck—” I choke out, my body jolting as any control I might have had slips away.

Viv’s smirk is audible in her voice. “Mm, there it is.” Her fingers continue to work in a practiced rhythm that leaves me totally at her mercy. She knows exactly what she’s doing and I’m totally helpless against the sensations overcoming me as precome pools on the sheets. 

Viv doesn’t let up. If anything, she grows bolder, twisting her wrist and pressing in another finger. The stretch burns for a second before melting into pleasure, and I mindlessly sink deeper into the mattress. She pins me down with her free arm across my lower back, holding me in place as I shamelessly moan out loud.

“You’re so fucking tight,” she purrs, curling her fingers deep until sparks explode in my gut. “And Moose is so big. You’re going to feel every inch of him.”

“I— ah!” I can barely breathe. “Please—don’t stop, I’m—”

And then she does. 

Her fingers slip out, leaving me empty and desperate, helplessly trembling in frustration. My body is aching for more, craving release. 

“Not yet,” she whispers, suddenly at my ear. Her breath is hot, lips brushing my skin as she presses a soft kiss into the curve of my neck. The gentleness only makes the denial more brutal.

She turns her attention to Moose, who’s still enjoying the show. “Don’t just stand there, Romeo. He’s ready for you.”

The words snap Moose from his daze. His voice seems to have to fight it’s way out of his throat.

“You sure about this, Lucas?”

No. I nod, eyes fixed on the thick blanket beneath me.

“Yeah. Quick before I change my mind?” I stammer, trying not to focus on the size of the rod that’s about to be inside me. The words come out like a nervous laugh, but my heart is pounding.

For a long moment, nothing happens. The only sound is the wind battering the outpost and the low hum of the generator. Then there’s the sudden sound of more gel being squeezed from the bottle as Viv applies it to Moose’s swollen appendage. 

My body tingles with nervous energy as the seconds tick by. Every sound from behind me amplified as my imagination begins to fill what I can’t see.

The firm hand on my hip tells me it’s time. My pulse surges.

“Slow.” Viv’s voice cuts through the quiet, as what feels like the tip of a baseball bat lines up with my entrance. “Tell me if you need a minute, okay?”

“Yeah, will do.” I manage, though the word sounds distant.

The pressure begins to build. It’s slow and testing, but enough to make me unsure if my body will cooperate. I hold myself in place, becoming increasingly convinced that this isn’t going to work. 

Viv mutters something and the weight shifts, easing off. When it returns, I’m met with the cool sensation of a fresh application of the gel. I push my hands into the mattress, arching as I present myself, trying to give Moose the best angle I can.

His hand returns to my hip and I meet the resistance with complete surrender. I let my shoulders drop and exhale softly as I feel myself steadily opening up. Focussing on my breathing seems to help as his huge cock stretches me wide. Despite being no more than a couple of inches in, the intensity is impossible to ignore.

“You holding up there?” Moose asks, his other hand resting lightly on my back.

I tense slightly at first, then relax under his touch. “Yeah,” I manage, voice shaky, “I’m… okay. You can keep going.”

“Just… tell me if it’s too much, alright?”

I inhale, appreciative of his concern and patience. It wasn’t too much. It’s exactly what I want, but I bite my lip so as not to sound too eager.

“I… I’ll tell you,” I murmur.

Viv slides down onto the bed beside me, a wide grin tugging at her lips. She finds my cheek with one hand, tracing the curve down to my neck and leaning in to press a kiss to my lips. When she pulls back, her face hovers just inches from mine, studying every telltale blush and shudder of anticipation.

I can’t hide my quickened breath as Moose eases in further. Viv’s hands move to my shoulders, grounding me and helping me brace against the assault on my rear. Her eyes lock onto mine and I expect her to say something, but she simply smiles, seemingly taking pleasure in my involuntary reactions.

“God, this is so…” Viv starts, her voice low and breathy, trailing off as she bites her lip. My stomach clenches, a sharp mix of embarrassment and heat coursing through me as I realise she’s getting off on this. 

“How… how does it feel?” She asks, eyes glinting with curiosity. 

I let out a breathless laugh, cheeks burning. “Big,” I manage.

Viv’s grin stretches wider, wicked and knowing, and the way she bites her lip makes it clear she’s revelling in it.

“It’s… intense,” I murmur, “but it feels good.” 

It did. Now I was adjusted to his hefty girth, I was craving more. I start to grind my hips back against him, savouring the way every inch fills me.

As if the low groan and the feel of his cock throbbing inside me weren’t enough, I feel Moose’s grip tighten on my hips, holding me firmly in place.

“Fuck… you feel so good,” he growls, and his desperation sends a shiver straight through me.

Knowing that I’m pleasing him spurs me on and I press back harder, taking him deeper than before. He takes my lead and drives into me harder causing me to moan. My body is on fire, every nerve raw with need, and I can feel my control slipping.

“Oh, fuck…” Viv’s chest is rising and falling fast in front of me. One hand is clutching her breast, teasing her hardened nipple, while the other drifts lower, fingers slipping in and out of her. The sight of her pleasuring herself, so openly and shamelessly, is enough to make me do the same. I grip my cock with my free hand, lightly stroking it between my thumb and index finger.

The sound of our bodies slapping together mixes with Viv’s broken, needy moans as her fingers move faster. I’m grinding back against him when Moose’s hand comes down hard on my cheek, leaving a sharp sting that makes me shudder with drunken, filthy pleasure.

His low, commanding voice takes me by surprise.

“Take this and get underneath us,” he says, voice calm but assertive.

Viv hesitates only for a second, heat flooding her cheeks, before she slides closer, reaching for something in Moose’s hand. I try to contemplate what exactly he’s asking for and how I can position myself make space, when I feel Moose’s hands wrap firmly around my chest and hips, lifting me like I weigh nothing.

Gravity takes over as I’m suspended in the air and my body slides down to the base of his cock.

“Nghhh!” I moan, my back arching as every inch slides into me, filling me completely.

“Put it on,” he murmurs to Viv, and she shivers, crawling beneath me. Once she’s in place, her small, eager hands reach up and wrap around my semi-hard cock, which is oozing with precome.

“Ohh…” I moan, startled by the sudden stimulation. Her fingers circle me slowly at first, and then I hear the rustle of a wrapper and the familiar sensation of latex sliding down.

Moose’s hands clamp around my hips, and he guides me back down onto the bed where Viv is ready.

“Go on,” Moose insists, the authority in his voice making my cock throb with need.

Arousal floods Viv’s face as she nods, her fingers wrapping around my cock again. The sight of her willing submission makes me harden instantly, and I’m rewarded by the slick, tight press of her folds enveloping me. Heat radiates from her body, slick and needy, as she instinctively pulls me in closer.

I gasp as I slide in effortlessly, every inch sinking into her warmth, and she lets out a soft, filthy moan. Her grip tightens instinctively, pressing me deeper and I shudder in overwhelming pleasure. 

After a short pause for our bodies to adjust, I take the initiative and move my hips gently, enjoying the feel of her around me.

Moose smirks and thrusts forward, driving deeper into me. The motion forces me to push even further into Viv, and the motion drags a breathless cry from both of us. The way his cock throbs inside of me makes it clear this isn’t just for our pleasure

His grip tightens possessively around my hips as he sets the rhythm in which he claims us both simultaneously. 

“Yeah. Just like that,” he groans, more to himself than either of us. At this point, neither Viv nor I have any sort of physical input, we’re just pliant meat for Moose to fuck, and god, it feels good.

I brace myself on my arms, chest flattening against Viv’s as our bodies are pushed together. The feel of her breath on my neck and the warmth of her body is overwhelming.

Her hands claw at my shoulders, dragging me closer, and our mouths slam together. Not the tentative and gentle kisses from earlier, but breathless and hungry, tongues on teeth as we taste each other like we’re starving.

Moose is still pounding into me from behind and I have to bite back my moans as he drives me mercilessly into her. It’s at this point that I realise that this is all happening on my bunk. If I’m lucky enough for it to be in one piece after this, it will certainly be far too wet to sleep in. 

The thought evaporates instantly when Viv’s fingernails rake across my back, leaving hot, stinging trails. Being the middleman means I’m getting it from both sides, Moose hammering into me from behind while she grinds against me in front. My cock throbs, but I start to wonder if my climax will have any say in when this ends. Judging by the desperation on both sides, I’m trapped here until they’re both spent.

I nibble hard at Viv’s neck, needing the feel of her between my teeth as I taste the salt of her skin. She shudders under me, moaning in a way that tells me she’s as close as I am. I can feel her walls clench around me as Moose drives into my ass faster.

Moose groans into my ear, his grip tightening on my hips. “God… your ass is so fucking tight. I’m so close…”

I grind back against him, moaning, “Nghhh… ahh… you’re… ahhh.. you’re going to come?”

He curses, each thrust punishingly hard and fast, shaking me with his need. “Shit… you’re going to make me lose it,” he rasps, voice rough with hunger. “Where do you want it—on you? In you? On both of you?”

I can’t even think straight. My body and brain are complete mush.

Viv answers for me. “I want it… oh, God… come on my chest… please!”

I blink, scandalised. My ass has done all the work.

For a split second I consider protesting and staging a shameless contest with Viv, but then I picture her skin glistening with his load and the heat sears straight to my loins.

He pulls out with a wet pop and my legs give way, as I helplessly sink deeper into Viv. 

It’s hardly surprising I feel empty when I see exactly what was just inside me. Moose’s cock glistens in the dim light as he rips off the condom and tosses it aside.

I’m so mesmerised as he grips his cock in both hands, rubbing it with long wet strokes, that I barely notice Viv looking up at me.

“You too,” she purrs, leaning back like she’s settling in for a show.

I don’t need to be told twice. I slowly pull out of her, mirroring Moose as I rip off my own condom, fingers immediately closing around myself as I trace every inch.

Viv wastes no time, hands gliding down, teasing her clit as she watches us with that wicked, bratty grin. “That’s it… show me… stroke those big dicks for me,” she teases, voice dripping with want.

I groan as my cock throbs in my hand as I pump to the sight of her laid out in front of me. Beside me, Moose has quickened his pace and is muttering curses under his breath, his hips jerking with every stroke. 

“Come for me…” Viv commands as she works herself closer. “I want it… come for me…”

My orgasm builds as I rub myself, knowing I can’t hold back any longer. 

“Fuck.. I’m gonna…” Moose’s voice cracks as he erupts, hips jerking violently as his release spills hot and thick across Viv’s chest, running down onto the bunk below. The sheer volume forces me to think of Viv’s cheeks bulging earlier before she gave me a taste.

The thought is too much. My cock pulses as I come with a loud groan, shaking as my load coats her, and adding to the mess. 

Viv cries out, body writhing, muscles clenching around  her own fingers as her orgasm rips through her. She gasps, back arching, hair plastered to her temple with sweat.

For the longest time none of us speak, and the only sound is the outpost groaning as the wind rattles the foundation. Every professional code of conduct I’ve ever signed drifts through my mind like a flurry of snow.

Viv eventually breaks the silence with a breathless laugh, dragging her hand lazily over her breast and wiping up a thick smear of come.

“God… you’re both disgusting…” she says, voice ragged with amusement and the afterglow of her arousal.

“Woah woah woah,” shrieks Moose, flicking the kettle onto the stove top with a clatter. “We’re disgusting? I’m pretty sure you’re the one who started this whole mess.”

Viv gives a lazy shrug, her grin wicked, her head sinking back against the pillow. “Didn’t say it was a bad thing.”

I shake my head, reaching for my pants and finding my legs no longer feel like my own. “As soon as the terminal comes back online, I’m reporting you both to HR,” I mutter, tugging them up over my hips and trying not to wince.

Moose folds his arms with mock authority. “Yeah? And who’s gonna show you how to do a hydraulic line inspection then?”

“I think you already did,” I shoot back, grabbing my socks and sitting down, immediately regretting it when pain shoots through me.

He laughs, snatching the now-whistling kettle from the stove and pouring it carefully into a hot water bottle. “Here. This’ll help. You’re gonna want to take it easy for a bit.”

“Thanks,” I murmur, letting out a long sigh as I press the heat to my sore ass. It’s bliss. I start to lean back, ready to melt into the bunk, but Viv catches my arm before I can.

“Ooh, errr maybe not there,” she says, smirking. “That one’s… uh, a bit damp. We’ll have to push the other two together.”

In hindsight, the condoms were a thoughtful touch, but an extra bunk and an on-site laundrette wouldn’t have gone amiss. I shuffle over and flop onto Moose’s bed with a groan that’s equal parts exhaustion and satisfaction.

“What time even is it?” I ask, staring at the wall where the calendar still shows last month’s dates, curling slightly at the edges from the dry air.

Moose checks his watch, squinting. “Just about to hit seven.”

It feels more like three in the morning. No matter how long I’ve been down here, I’ll never get used to the way time bends in this place.

“Fuck,” I laugh, running a hand over my face. I wasn’t sure what a post-threesome protocol looked like but I was working under the assumption that they normally took place late into the night. 

“Well, I’m getting a shower,” Viv announces, rummaging for her towel.

“You mean you don’t want to go again?” Moose shoots over his shoulder, turning to wink at me.

My ass clenches at the thought. “I think I’ve met my quota for the week. Is there room for two in shower?”

“Coward,” Viv calls from the bathroom, followed by the hiss of running water. “Yeah, get in here quick before it goes cold.”

The floor is ice underfoot as I hobble across the cabin to the bathroom. I’m greeted by a wave of of hot air when I slip inside, huddling in beside Viv with a sudden shiver. Her skins flushed pink as she tilts her head back, letting the warm water run through her hair. We don’t say much, enjoying the intimacy the proximity offers and the luxury of the hot water whilst it lasts.

In Antarctica, three showers in a day is basically a crime. But then again, nothing about today had been ordinary. I towel off, drag on a clean thermal shirt and the least-wrinkled pair of pyjama bottoms I can find. Viv disappears inside one of Moose’s oversized hoodies, sleeves hanging past her hands. I try not to be jealous, but I make a note to steal it tomorrow.

Despite my doubts, three in a bunk isn’t half bad. We’d certainly been closer. I end up wedged in the middle, Viv’s warmth against my chest as I snuggle close, Moose’s slow and steady breathing on the back of my neck. 

‘Winters embrace’ certainly felt apt. If this was its touch, I could live with it. The forecast for the next few days no longer felt so grim. I couldn’t imagine that we’d find ourselves lacking for things to do. 

Viv presses back into me and I let out a contented sigh, smiling and closing my eyes until I feel a stir from behind me and the unmistakable feeling of Moose’s bulge pressing against my ass. 

Suddenly, I don’t feel all that different from the outpost, getting battered from both ends and praying the walls hold. Still, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if the storm didn’t let up anytime soon.