Hello there! I'm very happy to write this. I must say when I finished Of Soft Breezes I didn't think I'd be able to think of future things to write along the same storyline. I was mistaken XP This is a sort of flashback series of shenanigans before Pitch interfered, so you don't necessarily have to have read Of Soft Breezes to understand it. In the timeline, it's after the Snow Day but in the days when Claire didn't think anything of her nightmares, before Claire admitted they were a real problem.

Also, I am pleased to announce that I do have a sequel in mind for Of Soft Breezes and Wintry Nights. It's just gonna take a little bit for me to do it; it's barely in outlining stages. But it's going to exist. Yay!

This is also decidedly citrusy, so you know.

And without further ado…

"talking" thinking ((scenechange/me))

The Art of Cuddling

~ "I'm not too cold?" he asked, breathing a chill air on her lips.

"I'll deal with it," she said, before sealing her lips over his.~

Claire Breeze smiled as she snuggled closer into Jack's chest, engrossed in her book. The two had been entwined on the couch, Jack watching television and Claire reading, until about an hour ago when Jack had fallen asleep. Claire had turned off the television and continued to use Jack as a pillow, intending to wake him up when she finished her book.

Doesn't he look peaceful, she thought, looking up at Jack's sleeping face with a soft smile. She partially shut her book and reached up to run a hand through Jack's frosty hair. He mumbled incoherently before smirking and turning his head into the couch pillow. Claire giggled.

This is nice, she thought as she laid her head back down on Jack's chest. It didn't used to always be this nice though…Claire mused, absently staring up at the ceiling. Snuggling up to Jack Frost used to be downright dangerous…

-((Flashback, before Pitch))-

"Are you sure about this?" Jack asked for the millionth time from his position on the couch. He watched Claire lean over him to open the living room window before she pushed on his chest, encouraging him to lay back. "I won't be too—"

Claire cut off his words with a searing kiss. Jack blinked as she pulled away, smirking. "I told you, I've got a sweater on. If I get too cold, I'll tell you." Claire squeaked as Jack moved suddenly, pushing her back so she lay on the couch and he loomed over her.

"Sounds like a plan to me," he said before he captured her lips in another kiss. Claire immediately wrapped her arms around his neck and tangled a hand in his hair. Jack, who was still new to this, was in the mood to explore. Claire gasped at the chill when one of his hands cradled her cheek, but didn't protest. His other hand ran up and down her side, occasionally stopping on her stomach to trace over her sweater. Claire's kisses grew more and more frustrated before she finally tore her lips away, gasping for breath as she pushed him off of her.

"Claire?" Jack questioned uncertainly before his eyes widened as she ripped the sweater over her head.

"I don't care how cold I get," she explained as she pulled him back down on top of her, now only wearing a light camisole and her bra. As he started to kiss her again, Claire's hands migrated from his neck, down his back to tuck into his pants pockets. Jack grunted in surprise and retaliated by tucking one of his hands underneath her camisole, resting it on her stomach. Claire squealed in surprise, and Jack was about to remove his freezing hand when she trapped it there with one of her hands and opened her mouth to his. Now fully distracted, Jack didn't notice when Claire moved his hand further up her stomach, dragging the shirt up with him. She continued to shiver, but distracted herself by releasing his hand to tug at the bottom of his hoodie.

Jack pulled away for air, panting as he raised an eyebrow. Claire glared at him. "Don't play dumb," she said as she pulled his hoodie over his head. He wore no shirt underneath, and all at once Claire felt as if the temperature dropped several more degrees. She ignored it however, and pulled him back down on top of her. Jack noticed her increased shivers and was about to pull away when she thoroughly distracted him by tracing her hands over his chest. Jack moaned, and growing bolder, he hesitantly lifted his hand to cup her breast. Claire moaned and wrapped her around his back, pulling him as close as she could as she raised her hips on reflex. Jack gasped sharply and pulled up to breathe.

"I…" he said, pausing to look more closely at her. "Claire!" he said in half concern and half scolding. "You were supposed to tell me when you were cold!" he continued, immediately grabbing a blanket from the back of the couch to wrap her in it.

"But I-I d-didn't want t-t-to stop," Claire replied stubbornly, teeth chattering together. Jack glared at her before scooping her up and carrying her to her bed. He pulled her desk chair next to it and sat beside her.

"Stubborn girl," he said affectionately, "we're just going to have to be more careful." Claire nodded, burrowing further into her blankets.

Claire was sick with a cold the next day.

-((a few days later))-

"I swear I'm feeling better!" Claire said as she sat up in bed, sniffling slightly.

Jack glared at her knowingly. "You're just saying that to get me in that bed," he said. He paused a moment. "That didn't come out right," he tried to backpedal, but Claire had already collapsed in laughter.

"Just come here," Claire said, holding her arms out to him. "I promise I will tell you the instant I start getting to cold."

Jack narrowed his eyes. "You're sure?"

Claire nodded. Suddenly she was struck with an idea. She jumped out of her bed and ran into the kitchen, leaving a confused Jack in her wake. She returned with a small object in her hands.

"We'll use the kitchen timer!" She explained, "I'll set it for five minutes," she said, turning the dial, "and when it goes off we can take a break so I won't catch another cold," she explained.

Jack nodded as she set the timer on the nightstand. Suddenly, he pushed her back onto the bed, collapsing on top of her. He pulled her hands above her head with one hand, grinning.

"Better make use of that time then," he said before covering her lips with his. Two can play this game, Claire thought as she wrapped her legs around Jack's, pinning him in place. Jack momentarily froze as Claire raised her hips, bucking against him. Claire took that opportunity to free her hands to pull his hoodie off.

"I wholeheartedly agree," she said and pulled his head back down to hers. Jack finally regained his senses and experimentally ground against her. Claire moaned in appreciation before tracing his abdomen with her fingers. Jack felt his desire for her pool low in his abdomen and somewhere decidedly lower…

Jack gasped and pulled back from her lips, breathing hard. Claire raised an eyebrow in concern. "Are you alright?"

"N-never better," Jack said semi-shakily. Claire stared at him, prompting him to continue. In response, Jack pressed his growing arousal against her. Claire's eyes widened, and Jack blushed as much as he was able. "I've never felt this way about anyone before," he whispered softly, looking away from her.

Claire smiled, lifting his chin with her hand, locking her green eyes with his frosty blue ones. Jack gasped at the brimming emotion he saw there. Claire kissed him tenderly before her eyes glinted with mischief, and she raised her hips again. Jack moaned, reflexively leaning down to kiss her again.

"Shall we continue?" Claire asked in a low voice. Jack nodded, kissing a trail down her jaw line. At that moment, the timer went off. Jack immediately leapt away from her as if he might give her hypothermia by lingering an instant too long.

"…Dammit," was said by both.

-((:D))-

The kitchen timer was decidedly not the solution to the couple's problems. The thing had the audacity to go off right as things were getting good. Every time.

As the timer went off once again and Jack leapt away, Claire resisted the urge to throw the thing out the window.

"This isn't working," Claire said, panting. Jack, who was putting his hoodie back on, nodded fervently.

"But what else can we do?" he asked. "I don't want to get you sick…"

"Hmm…." Claire looked around the room for inspiration. She spotted something on the top of her closet shelf, and made a sound of victory as she scrambled out of bed to get it. She returned to bed holding a blanket, and she wasted no time spreading it out to cover the bed.

Jack raised an eyebrow. "Another blanket?"

"Not just any blanket," she said as she plugged it in. "An electric blanket!" she said triumphantly. "Under this, you won't get too warm would you?" Claire asked, turning the opposite of his usual question back on him.

Jack pulled his hoodie off again. "Wouldn't hurt to try," he said, and Claire held the blanket open for him. The two snuggled together as the blanket gradually warmed.

"Jeez," Claire said, "This is a little too warm for me," she said, reaching for the dial to turn it down. She looked over to Jack, who was sweating slightly. "You okay?"

Jack made an affirmative sound before rolling over, pinning her underneath him. "If you're warm," he purred into her ear, "why don't you take off a few layers?" he said in a husky voice. Claire shivered, and it was not from cold.

"If you insist," she said with a mock sigh, pulling her blouse and camisole over her head. Jack inhaled sharply, for the first time seeing Claire in nothing but her bra. He immediately closed his lips over hers, and the two pleasantly came together as Claire traced now-familiar patterns over his chest. Occasionally she tweaked his nipples, and pleasure shot straight southward. Jack moaned and decided he would return in kind, slowly covering a breast with his hand. Claire's hands stilled, distracted as Jack's hand teased her breasts with his nimble fingers. Soon, Jack's caresses grew haphazard and weaker; Claire, concerned, pulled her lips away from Jack to find him covered in sweat. She immediately reached over to pull the blanket off of them.

"Are you okay?" She said, sitting them both up.

Jack looked a little cross-eyed. "I'm…fine," he said, "Just a little dizzy." Claire stood to throw open her bedroom window, letting the wintry air into her bedroom.

"And more than a little turned on," Jack said with a grin as Claire blushingly returned to the bed.

"Cool down, Frost," Claire said with a wink as she pushed Jack over to the window. "I don't want you to pass out." Jack sighed and walked over to the window to cool down in more ways than one.

-((can't win either way))-

Claire all but flew as she drove home from school, excited about the items she found when she went shopping that afternoon. She didn't even blink when she found the wintry legend lightly snoozing on her bed, having come in through the unlocked window. Before waking him, she changed into her new purchases. Checking herself in the mirror, she then leaned over her bed to give Jack a lingering kiss. The mythical legend's eyes fluttered open, and he tried to follow her lips as she straightened, but she pulled back before he could.

"Why hey there—" Jack froze as he turned to see Claire wearing what appeared to be a black spandex body suit that clung to every curve of her torso and legs. "W-what are you wearing?" he said, unable to tear his eyes from her.

She spun for him and smiled. "I have found the answer to our problems! When I was at the mall today, I found these," she said, gesturing to her skin-tight turtleneck and leggings, "they're called Under Armor. They're supposed to keep me warm, no matter what Mother Nature throws at me," she quoted, crawling next to him on the bed. "Or Jack Frost, in this case," she said with a wink.

Tentatively, Jack pulled Claire on top of him, bringing on hand to rest on her back and the other on her bottom. "So….you're not cold?" he said, asking his usual question.

Claire's smile grew wider. "Nope," she said, stealing a kiss. "Now we have as long as we want," Claire ended on a groan as Jack brought one of his hands around to grip her breast through the fabric. She rocked their hips together, already reaching for the hem of his jacket.

"You're a genius," Jack said as he allowed her to remove his jacket.

"Guilty as charged," Claire said with a wink before coming in for another kiss.

-((End Flashback))-

Claire blinked out of her musings with a knowing grin. She set her book on the coffee table before turning to look at her unofficial husband-turned pillow. She stretched up to plant a soft kiss on his lips. Jack stirred, and his eyes fluttered open.

"Mmm?" he murmured, stretching before automatically snaking his arms around Claire's waist. "How long was I out?"

Claire grinned, kissing him again. "Not that long," she said with a smile. "Have I ever told you how much I love being able to cuddle without wearing Under Armor?"

Jack laughed, tightening his grip on her. "I'm sure you have, but I wouldn't mind a reminder…"

"I think that can be arranged," Claire said as she reached for the bottom of his hoodie.

-((The End!))-

So I probably should've called this 'The Art of Making Out' but that sounds tacky. Let me know what you think! I'll definitely see you soon!

Thanks for reading! R&R!

~freaky-hanyou