Hot Night, Cold Winter Storm

The distraction came from upstairs. Fleur's room was in the loft directly above Brian's room. The rhythmic thumping and squeaking was a clear indication of what Fleur and Steve were doing. They could not hear their voices, but the sound of her bed on the wooden floor was unmistakable.

"Wow, they are really going at it," Brian said quietly.

"Well, I would have done the same if I were them," Nick laughed. "If you can ignore it, can we try to finish this level?"

Brian had a blush on his face, but he agreed he wanted to try to complete the level in the game. While they were playing Nick had asked if Brian hadn't heard anything from Fleur, or any of the others before. The house did not exactly insulate sound that well, so sometimes Nick had heard his roommates when they had a date over. But Brian admitted he had never heard anything like this before. Meanwhile, the rhythmic thumping of the bed became even louder. Brian really turned red when Nick half joked that Evi could be especially loud when she had her boyfriend over.

"I did not know she had a boyfriend? Who is he, have I missed something?" Brian asked.

"No, she broke up with him around the time when you moved in. Since then we have all been single, except for Fleur, lucky girl"

"Didn't Irene have a boyfriend for a while in october?" Brian asked.

"Well, she told me about that, they went on several dates, but it never became more than that. Irene broke it off after the 3rd or 4th date."

The thumping of the bed upstairs was pretty loud, but it was nothing to the loud crash that came from Irene's room. A loud crash, followed by the unmistakable sound of falling glass.

Brian and Nick looked at each other and froze for a second before jumping up and running to Irene's room.

When they burst in they were greeted by a rush of snow blowing into the room. A small branch of a tree had broken off and crashed through one of the windows. The branch was still hanging in the window frame, but most of the glass from that window was now on the floor. Nick's first thought was to get the two girls out of there. Their faces were white from the shock and their eyes were wide open. They were so shocked that they hadn't moved from the bed. They hadn't even shouted for help.

The fact that they hadn't moved was probably good, because their bare feet might have gotten hurt on the shards of glass. Nick picked up Irene, and Brian got Evi. Careful to not step into glass themselves they put down the girls in the hallway. Nick did a quick check to see if the girls were not hurt. They seemed alright, they hadn't been hit by any glass flying around.

"What, what do we do now?" Brian asked.

"Irene, Evi, I need you to go get shoes. One pair for everybody.

Brian you go get a large piece of plywood from the shed.

I am going to get the toolbox. We need to board up that window fast."

"Come on! Let's get going," Brian said.

He quickly understood what had to be done and raced downstairs. Irene and Evi were still in shock, but seemed to understand it too. They went downstairs together to collect the shoes so that nobody would hurt themselves standing in the glass.

Before Nick went downstairs after them to go get the toolbox he saw Fleur and Steve come down the stairs. Fleur was wearing Steve's shirt, it reached almost down to her knees because it was way too large for her. Her nipples were poking through the thin material, making it clear that Fleur wasn't wearing anything else. Steve just wore his underpants and jeans. He was struggling to pull up his zipper while he asked what was going on.

"A tree branch through the window, glass everywhere," Nick explained quickly.

"Is everybody okay?" Fleur asked.

"Yes, everybody seems to be alright," Nick shouted while he ran down the stairs. "Put on some clothes and come help please."

In a short time everybody had their shoes on and got to work. Brian and Nick pushed the branch out of the window and cut the plywood down so it would fit against the window frame. Irene and Evi cleared most of the glass away carefully. Not long after Fleur and Steve started helping clean up the mess. But with six people in the room they began getting in each other's way.

Evi suggested that she and Fleur move all of Irene's books and electronics to Evi's room. The snow was still blowing in and forming a light coat of white on everything. Fleur understood that Irene's stuff might get damaged, so she helped Evi move them out.

Luckily it did not take long before Brian managed to put the plywood against the window frame. No more snow was getting in. Brian and Nick nailed the plywood down securely.

Nick cleaned up the tools and got them out of the room. With everybody helping the room was quickly getting cleaned up. Ironically enough, Irene's room hadn't been this clean in a long time. Fleur soon turned up with towels to dry away the melting snow. It took them another hour before it was near enough done. Soon some people did not have anything to do anymore.

"What can I do? Is there any way I can still help?" Steve asked.

"Well, somebody should start making dinner soon. There is no way pizza delivery is still happening. And I think we should call the landlord so this window can get fixed properly," Nick said.

Fleur called Steve to help her. She would call the landlord and try to explain what had happened. Steve was more than happy to help. He had more experience dealing with shitty landlords and handling the legal technicalities.

Evi and Brian were going to make everybody a large cup of hot chocolate. They agreed to make dinner later as well. They decided they would all eat together that evening.

After this chaos Irene needed some comfort, and she trusted Nick the most. She cried a little, but mostly she just needed a hug. Together they cleaned the last bits and closed the door behind them. The plywood blocked the window off, but it did not keep out the cold.

It did not take long before Fleur and Steve showed up again. They had to take a picture of the window and send it to the landlord. He had told them he would hire somebody to fix it as soon as possible. But he also explained it might take a while. The earliest it could get fixed would be in two days. Steve had managed to get him to agree that if it did not get fixed within a certain period of time the landlord would pay for Irene to stay in a hotel room until it was done.

The rest of the afternoon was rather uneventful. While Evi and Brian made dinner Irene fell asleep against Nick on the couch in the living room. Fleur and Steve stayed downstairs as well, reading their books. Maybe they were just too tired to go upstairs and continue having sex. Maybe they just felt like they didn't have enough time for that until dinner was ready.

Brian was a better cook than they had expected. Even Evi admitted he had done most of the work. Fleur opened up a bottle of wine after they had finished eating. She did share it with Steve, but she drank most of it. She was already getting noticeably tipsy. Irene got another bottle of wine, but was careful Fleur didn't drink much more from that one. After the chaos of the afternoon they started to feel happy again, the wine certainly helped.

When Evi turned off the lights they were left in a cozy and romantic lighting from their Christmas tree and the candles. Evi and Steve had spread more than a dozen candles around the room. Evi had come up with the idea. She had whispered to Steve that Fleur had a weakness for it. She had whispered something else in Steve's ear that Nick couldn't quite hear. However Steve's eyes lit up immediately afterwards.

"Guys, I have been thinking about this. I don't think I want to sleep in my own room tonight," Irene said. "That stupid window scared the shit out of me. And it will be freezing cold there."

"You are welcome to sleep with me in my bed," Evi said, I don't mind."

"Well that is the thing, your bed is almost directly under your window as well. We can't really move the bed unless we move all my stuff again. And I don't think Fleur would want any more people in her bed," Irene joked.

"Nope, I just want Steve. And I doubt we will be sleeping much in my bed tonight anyway," Fleur said.

Fleur stood up and took off her sweater. She threw it at Steve and looked at him with greedy eyes. She stood there right in front of everybody with her nipples poking through a white lace bra. Maybe she didn't know the bra was practically see-through, maybe she didn't care. In any case, it was obvious what she wanted. Steve jumped up quickly and walked over to her. She jumped up at him, throwing her arms around his neck, and her legs around his waist. Steve carried her upstairs like that without any effort.

Evi had red cheeks and was biting her lip as she watched them leaving the room.

"No, definitely not sleeping in her bed," Irene laughed. "I think I'll just sleep on the couch."

Brian offered her to sleep in his bed, and that Brian could sleep on the couch, but she politely declined.

Nick helped her transform the couch into something resembling a decent bed. Luckily for her they had a couch long enough that she could fully stretch out. Meanwhile Evi and Brian had disappeared into their own rooms. But Nick stayed with Irene for a while. Irene was bundled up in several blankets. She was more of a summer person. In the winter time she was often feeling cold. Nick did not expect she would sleep too well on the couch, so the least he could do was comfort her before she went to sleep. They sat together there for a while, watching more and more snow fly past the windows. It was like they were inside their own little snowglobe. Nick left her with some happy thoughts and went to his own room as well. On the way he passed Irene's room. He opened the door just a tiny bit, but that was enough to feel the bitter and frosty cold.

Nick usually stripped down before he climbed into bed, but today it was so cold that he got under the covers first. When he threw out his boxers and was naked under the covers his nipples were protesting. It was uncomfortably chilly for some time until his body heat had spread out and warmed up the bed.

But sleep just would not come. Outside the arctic wind was cutting through the city, blasting everything it came across with its white winter weapon. Inside it was serene and calm, the old wall protecting them like an old grandfather.

Nick just could not sleep. There was too much going on, and not just inside his head. Brian was still playing his game. He was frustrated by a difficult level, swearing loudly at his computer. Meanwhile Evi was in her room singing along with songs from Disney's Aladdin. Nick sort of wanted to get some sleep, but his housemates seemed to have other plans. So Nick just gave up on trying to sleep and grabbed his book.

At least an hour had passed by when Nick finished reading his book. He had gotten so into the story that he had tuned out all the sounds around him. Now that his book was finished he listened again. There was no sound from Brian's room, and Evi had turned off her music. Maybe they had decided to go to sleep early as well.

Two sets of footsteps came down the stairs and headed into the bathroom. From the sound it was clear that Fleur and Steve were washing up. Hearing water flowing in the bathroom sink made Nick notice how much he needed to pee. Coming out from under the warm covers and into the cold was uncomfortable. And Nick was pretty awake now, he probably wouldn't be able to sleep for an hour or so. Turning up the thermostat was very tempting, and after putting on his boxers he just gave in. He hated being this cold, and needing to pee did not help.

Nick impatiently waited inside his room standing behind his door, waiting for the bathroom to be clear. Fleur and Steve had finished washing up, and Fleur went upstairs again to her room. However Nick heard Steve knocking on a door. It must have been Evi's door because a soft voice answered. Steve thanked Evi for something and went upstairs after Fleur. Nick had no idea what that was about, but the bathroom was finally clear. Nick went to the bathroom and did his business. A warm shower afterwards also felt like a good idea. After all, he had become a bit sweaty after boarding up the window.

It did feel good being clean and fresh. Coming back into his room was better too. It had warmed up significantly. But before Nick had turned the thermostat down again there was a knock on his door. Without any idea who it might be, Nick opened his door.

There stood Irene wrapped up in a blanket, looking a bit shy.

"The couch is good for sitting, but hopeless for sleeping on. My room is colder than the north pole, and to be fair, I don't feel much like sleeping alone. Can I sleep with you, please?" Irene blurted out.

The way she said it sounded to Nick like Irene was feeling miserable, but was almost too ashamed to ask.

"Yeah, no problem. Just let me get my things and I'll move to the couch."

"No, no. I knew you would say that. You shouldn't have to sleep on that awful couch either, and I don't mind being in bed with you."

"Are you sure?" Nick asked.

"Don't be daft, I know you and I trust you," Irene said while she walked in. "I don't want you to sleep on the couch, I just don't want to be alone tonight."

"That window breaking really scared you didn't it," Nick said. "Should I go get some of the pillows from downstairs for you?"

Irene didn't wait around and unwrapped herself from the blanket and got in the bed. Nick only got a brief glimpse of her, she wore simple but cute underwear. Her breasts jiggled around while she grabbed two of Nick's pillows.

"Are you alright if I take these?"

"Eh, yeah, that's fine."

"Come on, get in! Don't stand around there, you'll get cold," Irene said.

The room wasn't that cold anymore, but standing around in just his underwear wouldn't help. Nick got into his bed with Irene. She knew which side of the bed he slept on. It was a bit weird getting into bed with Irene, she was almost like a sister to him.

Irene snuggled up against him. Her cold skin against his. At first Nick was a bit nervous, his heart was beating so hard, there was no way she didn't feel it. But after a while they both relaxed. The bed heated up much faster with two people under the covers.

"Thank you for today," Irene whispered.

Nick hugged her even tighter to let her know he was always there for her. But after a few seconds she let go and pulled herself away.

"I think I'm going to sleep now," Irene told him.

She turned away and laid on her side facing away from Nick. So he decided he would try to fall asleep as well. Nick still laid on his back, thinking about how much he had actually missed having someone to sleep with. Irene playfully put her cold feet against Nick's side. They both giggled for a while, but after that she laid there silently next to him.

Nick couldn't fall asleep again. It had surely been almost half an hour since Irene said she wanted to go to sleep. Maybe she was asleep, but he wasn't. Nick tried to stop thinking about everything that had happened that day and just relaxed. He tried not to focus on the wind beating down on the house. At least it had calmed down a bit, but the wind was still whirling through the streets. Would it still be snowing? The rhythm of the wind gushing past and the windows shuddering was not exactly calming.

But after listening to the wind for some time Nick started to hear more than just the wind. The wind certainly was calming down, but the sounds from upstairs were growing louder. Earlier with Brian he had just heard the rhythmic noise of Fleur and Steve fucking in their bed. But now there was the distinct sound of Fleur moaning as well. The rhythm of their bed moving was somewhat slower than before, but Fleur was most definitely enjoying whatever they were doing. When Nick listened extra carefully he could even hear Steve breathing heavily.

"Nick?"

"Nick? Are you awake?" Irene whispered.

She hadn't moved while she asked. And Nick was unsure what to do.

"Yeah, I am," he said after a while.

Immediately Irene put the light on the nightstand on and turned around. Her cheeks were blushing and she had little lights in her eyes from excitement.

"They are really going at it aren't they? Can you always hear Fleur this well in your room?"

"Fleur isn't this loud when she is alone," Nick said.

"But you can hear her when she's masturbating?"

Nick was a bit blown away by such a direct question. He had heard Fleur a couple of times, that was true.

"Oh come on, she masturbates, I masturbate, we all do it. And I won't shame you for listening to it or anything. I've heard you all do it, and you'll definitely have heard Evi before. I am just asking if she is always this loud, or that you can just hear her better in your room," Irene said

"Well, she usually isn't making this much noise. But I've heard her masturbating before, yes."

"It is kind of crazy, it really turns me on, but it also makes me... eh... sad, or jealous," Irene admitted.

"Why does it make you sad?"

"Well they have each other, and the rest of us go back home for Christmas alone, without a partner or a date. I hate being alone this time of year."

"Is that why you said you did not want to sleep alone tonight?"

"Damn it Sherlock, you caught me! No, it's more because of that stupid window. If that hadn't happened I probably would have been in my own bed right now with my vibrator, listening to them."

"Does it really turn you on that much?"

"Well, hearing others masturbate is not always that exciting, but hearing them having sex makes it a lot easier to dream up some fantasies."

From the room above them now came sounds of slapping. Fleur and Steve were no longer holding anything back, every sound they made was clearly audible.

"Nick?"

"Yeah?"

"Would it be okay with you if, you know, I touched myself in your bed?" Irene asked with a shy voice.

"Trust me, I wasn't planning for this, but I am fucking horny right now. You can watch, you can jerk off, I don't care," she said.

Irene looked at Nick with begging eyes. Her sharp breathing was already showing how horny she was.

"If that's not cool I'll go downstairs and be on the couch."

"No, it's alright. I am just as worked up as you are," Nick said.

Irene lifted the covers and looked at his crotch. Nick had been trying to not get a boner while Irene was in bed with him. However right then it was jumping into action, quickly swelling up. Nick was not wearing anything more than his underwear, so there was no chance that Irene would not see it anyway.

"How big does it get?" Irene asked while she slid her hand under the covers.

"I'm not telling you, you'll just have to see," Nick said, teasing a bit.

"Don't hold back, I want to watch you too."

Nick put his hand under his boxers and began slowly stroking his cock. But apparently that was not enough for Irene. She pushed the covers back and then pulled his boxers down to set his cock free. She hadn't touched him, but her eyes were glued to Nick's throbbing dick.

Irene was still mostly under the covers. It was just pushed down far enough to expose her boobs. Her bra was a simple and comfortable one, it let her tits bounce around a bit while she touched herself.

"If I had known we would be doing this I would have dressed up differently," Irene said.

She had clearly noticed Nick looking at her chest, and she did not mind. Nick now used longer strokes to spread his precum around and lubricate himself.

"Without make-up, with just normal underwear, and without even trying, you look better than anybody I've ever had here in my bed."

Irene just smiled and rubbed herself even faster. But not long after she suddenly stopped. She looked at the door, and then up at the ceiling. Nick stopped moving as well, but he did not know what was going on.