The cold world of the Pleistocene
Snow was falling in the cold world of the Pleistocene. Three humans cleared a way through the white fluffy surface looking for shelter.
The baby mammoth and his mother they had been trailing were long gone. The approaching storm had separated the three people from the rest of the group.
Now they were just trying to follow their tracks back but they were quickly losing their orientation in the white infinity.
Finally, the man leading the small group caught sight of a large, dark silhouette ahead. He hoped they could find protection in the rocks.
A small cave at the foot of the mountain came to their rescue. They could wait here for the storm to end.
*****
Stephen shook himself to get rid of the damp on his clothes. The thick parka was covered with a wet layer of snow. Fortunately, he'd been prepared for all eventualities. He'd brought food, water and other useful things.
Nick had laughed when he'd seen his large rucksack but right know the fluffy sleeping bag he'd brought was their best shot at surviving the cold.
For three people, the big sleeping bag, with zip fastener on both sides, would be still a tight fit, but Stephen was sure they would manage.
He quickly spread the sleeping bag out in a corner of the small cave.
"Pull your the damp clothes off and get in the sleeping bag," he commanded. "It isn't made for such cold temperatures but if we keep each other warm with our body heat it will do.
Nick, get in there now! Your lips are turning blue already."
Nick Cutter wanted to protest but his teeth were chattering too much. So he just glared at Stephen, slipped out of his wet coat and trousers and sprawled out in the sleeping bag.
Stephen lay down in front of him and zipped the sleeping bag up on his side.
James Lester stood rooted to the spot with his ski parka in his hand.
"Would you please get in there now, Sir, we're freezing!" Stephen called.
Reluctantly, James Lester dropped his wet clothes then crawled behind Cutter and closed his side of the sleeping bag.
*****
A pleasant warmth surrounded Nick Cutter when he woke up. He closed his eyes contentedly when someone said something to him about looking for the Anomaly.
Nick heard the swish of the zip fastener and felt a cold draught before Stephen closed the sleeping bag again.
Nick, seeking more heat, snuggled back against the body behind him.
Suddenly, he felt the imprint of a morning erection against his arse and came wide awake, instantly. His first impulse was to point out the man's predicament and mock him.
Nick was stopped by a whispered: "Please, don't."
All the glee Nick had felt at the prospect of humiliating the man next to him vanished.
Lester's voice sounded somehow vulnerable and lost.
Nick knew that James Lester hadn't needed to be there. He could be resting in his warm bed at home right now but, because of his concern for the little mammoth family, he'd gone with them.
Lester had to be feeling definitively knocked off his stride in this strange cold world.
Thatwas a feeling Nick Cutter could relate to.
He had felt it the day of Helen's funeral, and then again when he'd come to realize his wife was still alive and that that she had left him deliberately.
The last time he'd felt like that had been when he'd come back and Claudia had vanished.
It was strange but Nick sensed an emotional attachment with Lester now.
Slowly Nick Cutter turned around. Lester tried to avoid his enquiring eyes and backed nervously away from him.
"It's all right. Just an unconscious physical reaction, it's not something to be ashamed of." Nick soothed.
He touched the other man's back reassuring, trying to comfort him in some way. Lester did not relax. He still watched Nick warily as though waiting for an attack.
Closing his eyes with a sigh, Nick moved closer and pressed his body against Lester's, letting him feel his own morning erection for a short moment.
He heard a choking noise and wanted to roll away again, but a strong hand on his hip held him in place. Nick froze instantly. With a halting breath he lay there, waiting.
The fingers on the hand at his hip started to fondle his hip bone hesitantly. Nick opened his eyes and looked directly into the burning eyes of James Lester.
Nick licked nervously over his lips. Lester involuntarily opened his mouth, his breath quickened and in his eyes Nick saw a flash of desire.
Slowly he began to rub his groin against Lester's body. Both men deliberately moved their heads closer together and their lips met for the first time.
A flicker of a tongue pleading for entrance. Their tongues circled around, tasting each other, touching the roofs of their mouths and sweeping over the teeth.
Lester's hand roamed over Nick's arse, then forward to his groin, squeezing it through the shorts.
Then Nick felt a warm strong hand close around his cock, stroking him skilfully towards an intensive orgasm.
*****
"Sorry, I passed out," Nick said sheepishly.
"I'll take it as a compliment," Lester replied, smiling smugly.
"Are you still....?" Nick considered how to phrase his question. But Lester understood what he was trying to ask.
He shook his head. "Don't worry. I've already taken care of that. There isn't an erection to worry about anymore."
Nick lifted his hand and gently drew his forefinger over Lester's cheek then along the contours of his lips. "I could have done it for you."
"It's OK, I couldn't wait any longer and you'd collapsed," Lester grinned.
"I've never been with a man before. I didn't know it could feel so good," Nick whispered.
"The same here," Lester said bluntly.
Nick looked at Lester. His eyes were still filled with passion.
Suddenly they were in each other arms again and Nick lost himself in the bliss of touching and kissing.
****
Some time later, steps rang through the cave.
Stephen walked closer and looked down, grinning, at the picture in front of him. Nick Cutter and James Lester sleeping spooned together in a sleeping bag.
Pity, they didn't get along as well when awake. Their constant bickering grated on his nerves at times.
Stephen crouched down and shook Nick's shoulder. "Nick, wake up. We have to go now. I've found the Anomaly and the weather is fine as well. Lester, come on, time to stand up."
Both men opened their eyes and started to get up.
Silently, Nick and James trudged through the snow, following Stephen in the direction of the Anomaly.
Their time together had been too fleeting. They had so much to say to each other, but neither of them spoke a word.
Before Nick walked into the Anomaly, he turned around and shared a last intimate look with James.
The gentle touch on his hand he had felt just for a moment spoke more as than thousand words.
*****
The next day everything was back to normal.
Nick Cutter was still the maverick professor looking for his renegade wife and Lester, the rigorous Home Office official, who went home every night to his family.
Everything was exactly as it should be.
Just sometimes, when Nick was resting alone in his large bed, he longed for a lean and strong body lying next to him.
And James Lester, snuggling up to his wife, now and then wished that the warm body he hugged was not quite so soft.
*****
There was snow falling in the cold world of the Pleistocene, covering the last traces of the human intruders.
When the glittering crystals touched the ground, it almost sounded like a softly whispered 'I miss you'.