A/N: Hello all dear readers! So here's a story about North and his brother, Sinterklaas or Klaas as I will be calling him in this story. This story has been stuck in my head for a long time now and I finally decided to write it, so for all of you a Christmas present from me. Also a merry Christmas! and I know not my best work, but I hope you all can still enjoy it!
To explain for everyone who doesn't know who Sinterklaas is. He has practically the same job as Santa Claus, with bringing children gifts and all. He's celebrated on the 5th of December in my country (The Netherlands) and Belgium and probably a few more. Santa Claus is actually based off of Sinterklaas, that's why I made him North's older brother. But more I won't explain for now as at the end I have a few more explanations.
Also if you want me to add or change some things in the explanations then please say so.
So please enjoy and tell me what you thought of it.
xxx
Jack laughed as he landed in the middle of the workshop, on his way in throwing over a big pile of toys and bumping into Phil. He didn't look back as he heard the yeti shout something in his own language and quickly hurried down the hall and into the main room.
His eyes quickly snapped through the room, searching for the big jolly man, but he frowned slightly as he didn't saw him. North was always there to welcome him when he came, especially when he made a lot of noise, like now. 'North!' He shouted, again there was no answer from the man.
'You don't have to shout like that, mate!' He turned on his heels as he heard that far too familiar irritated voice.
He quickly met a frowning Bunny and the grin on the winter spirit's face grew even wider. 'Cottontail!' He teased, receiving another glare from the Pooka before he asked. 'Where is North?'
Bunny closed the distance between them. 'Preparing for his brother to arrive.'
Jack frowned. 'North has a brother?'
'You didn't knew?' The Easter bunny asked slightly taken back. 'Guess you have never met him then. I'm talking about North's older brother, he has partly the same job as North, even though he doesn't perform it on such a large scale.' Bunny started walking, signing to Jack that he had to follow. 'Every ten years or so he comes to visit the workshop and the two of them have a shouting match about who's better... even though they all seem the forget that Easter is the greatest.'
Jack just simply nodded as they walked into North's office. The man was rapidly digging through piles and piles of papers. 'Gde eto, gde eto?!' (where is it, where is it?) North shouted as he threw a pile off the table.
'What are you searching for mate?' Bunny asked as he stepped inside. 'Oh and Jack's here.'
It were those last words that caused North to turn around and smile at Jack. 'Oh Jack, I hadn't heard you.' He quickly pulled the young teen in a tight hug. 'Vill you help me prepare for my starshiy brat?' (Elder brother).
'Bunny told me that your big brother was coming?'
'Ja, he can be here any moment now.'
He had barely said those words before they heard rumor spread through the workshop. He saw how North's eyes grew big and the man quickly released him before rushing out of the room, soon followed by the winter spirit and the Pooka.
Entering the main room North stopped in the entrance, a nervous yet exciting smile crossing his face. Jack quickly glanced past him.
In the middle of the room stood a man with his back turned to them, dressed in red robe and with a strange kind of hat on his head, which Bunny later explains to him is an Miter. In one hand he held a golden coloured staff, the end curled up. He presumed that this man was North's bigger brother... he had expected him to look differently, more... North. This man was maybe as tall as North, but he was far skinnier and didn't look nearly as dangerous, at least when you didn't knew North.
'Klaas!' He was thrown out of his thoughts as he heard North's booming voice.
The man turned around, smiling broadly at his young brother and Jack blinked as he saw the man's face. Now he could clearly see the resemblance, both had the same deep blue eyes, ones that were filled with hope and wonder.
'Ah, Nick. It has been far too long, little brother.' He said with a smile and to Jack's surprise this brother didn't had the Russian accent. North pulled his brother in a tight hug and both laughed as the younger said something to the other.
'So how went your trip?' North asked as he released his brother.
'Hmm... well, good until I arrived here, you should definitely take better care of the lower entrances of the workshop, Amerigo* isn't getting any younger, I don't want to know what could possibly happen when his hooves slide on the ice and snow.' Klaas said with a stern voice before he crossed his arms. 'But it isn't as if I haven't told you that before, but it isn't like you listen to me.' North looked slightly hurt at his brother, but before he could answer he was cut off as Klaas turned to bunny and Jack. 'Ah, Bunnymund, it's good to see you again. I have to thank you for your chocolate recipe, it has done wonders for my letters!' He said with a smile. 'But you should taste it for yourself. Piet*?'
Jack blinked as he turned to face the other man in the room, he hadn't even noticed him. Piet was an young man with a dark skin colour and his eyes shined brightly as he looked at the elder brother. Apparently till then he had been in a deep conversation with two of the yetis. 'Yes, what is it?'
'Could you hand bunnymund his letter... and also give Jack his letter.' The last Klaas added as he smiled at Jack. 'I believe we haven't met before. I'm Nick's older brother, Saint-Nicolaas, also known as Sinterklaas, but you can just call me Klaas.' He said gently as he offered the winter spirit his hand.
Jack didn't hesitate to accept the hand and smiled warmly back at him. 'And I'm Jack Frost, but I guess you already knew that.'
'I know about all children, that does also mean that I know about spirits like you. Sadly we haven't had the change to meet before, though I have seen you flying around several times, but you were gone before I had time to say hello.'
Piet stopped in front of them, his hand reaching into a large sack before he pulled out two small packages, handing both Bunny and him one of them. Jack was staring curiously at the chocolate letter* in his hands, a letter J. He stared at Bunny who thanked Klaas and opened the package, taking a small bite out of the E.
The Pooka blinked in surprise, an approving smile on his face. 'Oh, you increased the amount of cacao in it, didn't you?'
'Yes, I wanted to give it a bit of my own twist.' Klaas said with a nod. 'But Piet here was a great help, he suggested to increase the amount by three percent.' He patted his helper on the shoulder.
'I didn't really do that much, it was Bunnymund's recipe.' Piet responded, a blush spreading over his cheeks.
'Enough talk, come and sit and I vill get us all some hot chocolate!' North eventually interrupted as he had been silent for a while.
So they all walked to the chairs, North and Klaas in deep conversation as Piet was laughing with Bunny and the yetis about something. Jack just settled himself in the chair furthest away from the fire and was sipping at his cold chocolate and taken large bites out of his letter, they were delicious, clearly different than Bunny's eggs, though you could taste some similarities in it.
'And Jack-.' The teenager looked up as Klaas was staring curiously at him with his warm blue eyes. 'I heard that you became a guardian and helped my brother and the others defeat Pitch, I have to say, good job.'
'Thanks.'
'So tell me, how did you become a guardian?'
Jack smiled as he remembered, but as he answered he didn't notice how North's face paled. 'Manny made me a guardian and the yetis brought me to the Pole to tell.' He laughed. 'They actually stuffed me in a bag to bring me to the Workshop*.-' He stopped as he heard North take a sharp breath. The winter spirit looked at him in confusion before turning to his brother, Klaas was staring at the younger brother with accusing eyes.
'So... you couldn't even be original in welcoming a new guardian, you had to use my tricks?' Klaas asked.
North gapped at him for a moment before he answered in a somewhat higher voice. 'I... You don't own that, I can do vhatever I vant!'
'Yeah, but you had to copy me, again.'
'Vhy do you always say I copy you?' North shouted before he stood up, glaring down at his brother.
'Because you do.' Klaas snarled back as he too stood up, placing his hands in his side, but he wasn't nearly as intimidating as North.
'I do not!'
'Yes, you do.'
'I don't!'
'You do!'
'No!'
'Yes!'
Jack eventually zoomed out and looked at Bunny. The Pooka was looking annoyed at the two brothers before he stood up. 'Every year.' He mumbled to himself. 'This happens every year.' He looked back at Jack. 'I'm leaving, see ya later Frostbite!' And with that he opened a tunnel and jumped down. The tunnel closed itself, leaving only a small flower behind.
'Bunnymund's right, this happens every year.' He looked up to see Piet standing next to him. The young man smiled at him before he sat down on the armrest of Jack's chair and opened the bag he had been dragging with him atop of his lap. 'You want some?' He asked.
'Yeah.'
And with that Piet handed him a handful of candy. The teenager looked curiously at the many different sweets in his hands and Sinterklaas' helper quickly explained. 'These are kruidnoten, these are chocolate coins... uhmm and these are taai-taai*.' Jack quickly started nibbling at the candy and he smiled as he tasted the kruidnoten, they were delicious and he quickly devoured the rest of them.
His eyes then traveled to a couple of elves rushing towards them and they stopped in front of the two of them. The elves then looked up at Piet with begging eyes. The man just laughed as he reached in his bag again and threw a few handfuls of sweets at the elves. The little creatures squealed in delight and started to gather the candies fallen onto the ground, pushing each other to the side to get as many as they possibly could.
'Are they really doing this every year?' Jack asked as he eyed the brothers. They were shouting about a steamboat* or something like that, he just shrugged and looked back at Piet.
Piet sighed and nodded at him. 'Yeah, last time it was about candy, probably the reason why they don't meet that often.'
'They don't like each other?'
'No, it's nothing like that, they definitely do like each other, but they don't express it that well.'
Jack nodded as he turned back to the brothers.
'Glupyy id-.' (Stupid id-).
'Don't you finish those words, mister!' Klaas growled.
North glared at him, but didn't finish the words and bit his lip, pouting like a little kid.
Their 'fight' went on for another hour, meanwhile Jack and Piet went down to the stables, feeding the reindeers and Amerigo some carrots before they went back up to make dinner. While making dinner he learned that Klaas and Piet originally came from Turkey, how that worked with North being Russian he still didn't understand, but nowadays they resided in Spain, probably the main reason that they had never met, as a winter spirit he didn't came in Spain that often.
Their diner was less... hostile. It was rather fun as both brothers had humiliating stories to tell about the other. He learned that North still slept with his teddy bear, Mister Huggles, which was great blackmailing material for later.
After diner it was time for Klaas and Piet to go back home.
Jack quickly shook his new friend's hand. In the time they spend together he had gotten quite fond of Piet, the man was fun to be around and he promised to visit them when the temperature wasn't too high.
The two of them then turned to the brothers. North and Klaas were starring at each other in complete silence. Jack looked at Piet, his eyes asking what they were supposed to do, but the other man just smiled, telling him that they shouldn't do anything at all.
And it was North who first reacted, he lunged for his brother, pulling him in his arms and holding him tight to his chest. A gentle smile crossed Klaas' lips as he hugged back. 'YA lyublyu tebya, bratishka' (I love you, little brother) Klaas whispered.
'Menya ty tozhe.' (Me you too) North said back, ignoring the tear that rolled over his cheek.
And with those words they departed, both brothers turning their backs to each other and North didn't even look as his brother and Piet took off. Jack just waved happily till the two disappeared from his sight before he turned to North. 'Are you sad that they left?'
The older man looked at him with hurt eyes, before he quickly shook his head and crossed his arms. 'Why vould I be sad that he vent away? He's an stupid brother.' He explained before rushing off.
Jack just smiled as he had already heard in North's voice that he didn't really mean it. He laughed, before he followed North to the upper levels.
xxx
Only explain the things of Sinterklaas as I believe more people know about Santa than of him. If you have more question than you can just ask me or search for it on internet.
*Amerigo: A white horse which Sinterklaas uses as he comes to deliver the presents to the children.
*Piet: Also known as 'Zwarte Piet' or Black Piet if you translate it. They're the helpers of Sinterklaas, much like the Yetis and the elves. They help make the toys and deliver them to the children, going down the chimneys to put the toys in the people's shoes. Lately there's a lot of discussion about Zwarte Piet as some people find them offending as they have a dark skin colour and say that they're (or used to be) slaves, which is true till a certain point as no one sees them as slaves anymore. Though another story is that they got their dark skin colour from the soot of the chimneys. Still most people I knew adored them as a little kid and liked them even more than they did Sinterklaas, but it's all my own opinion.
*Chocolate letters: Like it sounds a letter made of chocolate that children get. The letter is the first one of the person's name.
*Bag: So the story goes that if children aren't good they will be put in a bag and taken to Spain, where Sinterklaas lives.
*Strooigoed: It's custom for the 'Zwarte Pieten' to have a bag with them with strooigoed, candy in it. There are many different types, but the most famous ones are kruidnoten, and they're really delicious, but that's only my opinion. Most of the time they throw a handful of these candies at the children so that they can snack from them.
*Steamboat: Sinterklaas' transport.
