Alaia Skyhawk: Merry Christmas everyone! Here's something I know many of you have wanted to see a oneshot of, so here it is! :D

Disclaimer: I don't own Rise of the Guardians, the Guardians of Childhood, or any related characters etc. This story is written purely for entertainment purposes.

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Chapter 6: A "Toast" to Christmas

It began as a simple thing, really. Late on Christmas day after the rest of the Guardians had returned to their homes. Only Jack and North remained at the Workshop, sat at the table where the Guardians had held their Christmas party. That surface littered with platters of leftover food, jugs filled with beverages of various kinds, and an array of discarded paper party hats.

It was also littered with small puddles that were the remnants of melted snowballs, as was much of the rest of the room. It being likely that Jack's attempt to start a snowball fight near the end of the party, had contributed to Bunny beating a quick retreat. Tooth and Sandy had soon followed, making the excuse that they needed to return to their work. The rest of the guests, such as Ombric and Katherine, Nightlight, and a handful of others also heading to home or guest-room depending on whether they were spending the night at the Workshop or not.

Which again brings us back to the matter of Jack and North being the only ones still sat at the table, discussing the finer points of Winter Festivals, and the difficulties that can sometimes arise due to cold weather putting some people off taking part.

"I tell you, any immortal who says being associated with winter makes things harder, is someone who does not put as much real effort in as they should."

North emphasised his point by taking a large bite out of the piece of fruitcake he held, Jack bracing his head against his hand with his elbow propped on the table.

The Spirit of Winter smirked, but in agreement not in sarcasm.

"Yeah, I've heard the whining more often than I care to. It's the same deal with the other seasons. 'Spring gets too wet!' 'Summer is too hot!' 'Autumn is so messy with all those leaves around, and the late frosts!'" He snorted. "The usual complainers are the ones who'd rather blame the weather for their lack of success, instead of taking a closer look for the flaws in their advertisement strategy. Catching attention, and gaining believers, is just like running a business. If your marketing is bad, then what do you expect?"

He took a gulp from his cup of eggnog, which for reasons of the mixture of guests had not been alcoholic like some recipes. He then looked into his cup with a bemused expression, and North was quick to interpret it.

"You want something a bit stiffer, hmm?" North raised his eyebrows in amusement. "I did not take you for being a drinker, Jack."

The Spirit of Winter gave him a long look.

"I'm not, but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate a glass or two on special occasions." He grinned. "I've had my share of drinking competitions too, against certain Legends whose names I will not mention."

North blinked.

"You keep it secret about who? But why?"

Jack laughed, his expression sly.

"They were so embarrassed I drank them under the table, that they bribed me never to tell anyone their names. Sure it would be fun to tease them by telling others they'd lost to a guy with the proportions of a twig, but then I'd lose the perks from the bribes. A wise businessman doesn't give up his assets without good reason."

North was now regarding him with speculation written all over his expression. Remaining silent for several thoughtful moments before he spoke.

"Hmm, perhaps you would like to make a toast to another successful Christmas? Several toasts actually, because this was very good year."

Jack grinned, realising North wanted to try his luck against him in a drinking contest, without calling it that. If he wanted to try, then his fellow Guardian was more than game for it.

"Sure. Just don't complain when you lose."

North let out a laugh in challenge.

"Me lose? HA! I am Russian! I am made of sterner stuff than those you beat before!"

Jack coughed to smother a laugh, murmuring under his breath too quiet for North to hear.

"That's what Silenus, the Greek 'god' of wine and drunkenness, said." He cleared his throat again, and directed a similar look of challenge at his fellow Guardian. "You're on! Winner gets to ask a perk from the loser."

North reached out and shook his hand.

"Deal! Now follow me, we go to my lounge for this. I don't keep special vodka where elves might get it. They enough mischief enough without it!"

Jack followed North through the workshop, still smirking to himself. After all, it wasn't really a fair competition. North might have been a Winter Legend, but he was still 'warm blooded' so to speak. While immortals didn't need food or water, they still had a metabolism, and the warmer their temperature was the faster that metabolism ran. North's body was a typical human thirty-six celsius, but Jack's was a decidedly chillier six. Those thirty degrees of difference meant that despite his size, Jack could tolerate a lot more alcohol than even a man of North's physique.

Yes, this was going to be fun, and there was no way he was going to spoil it by revealing his secret in advance.

They soon reached North's personal quarters, and the lounge where they'd sat and relaxed after the defeat of Pitch three years previous. At the far end, opposite the fireplace, was a large liquor cabinet. It was to that which North now went. The Russian unlocking it and returning to the lounge table with two very large bottles of clear liquid and two dainty shot-glasses.

He set them on the surface and the settled himself into the chair opposite where Jack had sat down.

"This is my 'Humans Do Not Touch' Vodka. Is very strong, almost pure alcohol. Humans could tolerate a little of it, but too much and it would poison them very badly, so I do not usually give it to guests."

Jack eyed the bottles.

"Then why bring it out for our drinking contest? All the others ones I've done involved wine or beer."

North tapped a finger to the side of his nose, amused.

"Ah, but I would bet those contests lasted hours, yes? We both know it takes a lot to make an immortal drunk. Using this will make our contest go faster. Besides, I like vodka. I am Russian, remember?"

Jack took hold of his shot-glass, holding it up to be filled.

"Well in that case, if we're going for speed, let's get started."

"Agreed!"

North filled both the glasses, then as one the two of them downed their first shot. They waited a little between each shot, to allow time for the alcohol to work its wait into their system. Yet even so after fifteen minutes the first bottle was empty and neither showed any real sign of the effects.

North mulled over that for a moment, and went to retrieve two more bottles of the vodka from his stash, meaning their were three full bottles on the table now and one empty. He then opened the second bottle, and the contest continued.

They were halfway through the second bottle, when the Russian's face started to take on a faint flush. Jack was quick to notice, what with still being completely cool and composed himself, and he smirked.

"Starting to feel the heat, North?"

The Guardian of Wonder frowned, refilling the shot-glasses again.

"This is only a warm-up. The real fight yet to begin."

Jack raised his eyebrows and downed his next shot before replying.

"Whatever you say. Bring it on!"

North's frown deepened, his eyes taking on a determined and stubborn glint. Ten minutes later they started on the third bottle. Five minutes after that, and North's flushed face was more than just a little red. Indeed, he was starting to sway in his seat.

Jack took over filling the glasses. The Russian's hands had begun to refuse to cooperate, or at least his ability to aim the contents of the bottle into the glasses had now degraded to the point of uselessness.

He passed the next glass to north, still smirking.

"You give up yet?"

North raised a finger at him, glowering in a decidedly tipsy fashion.

"A Rushhhian never shurrenders." He downed the next shot, almost tipping it up his nose, then continued. "This won't shtop me."

Jack raised his eyebrows, still showing absolutely no signs of the fact he'd already consumed the contents of a three-litre bottle of what was probably about ninety-eight percent proof vodka, and had downed roughly a quarter of another.

He eyed the remaining full bottle, and the one that was half full, then grinned.

"I tell you what, you finish off that half a bottle, and I'll drink all of what's in the other one. The person who doesn't finish theirs off, loses. Deal?"

North blinked at him, still swaying in his seat, then blinked at the aforementioned bottles. He seemed to consider it for a moment, woozily doing the math until he worked out that it meant Jack had to drink far more than him to win, and then he nodded. That motion almost sending him face-down on the table.

"Deal. There'sh no way you can drinksh all that."

Jack pushed the half-full bottle to North, then grabbed the full one and opened the cap.

"Ok then, we start now. If our bottle isn't empty in the next thirty minutes, we forfeit and the other one wins Go!."

Jack tipped up his bottle and gulped a quarter of the contents before setting it down. He then waited and watched as North did the same and downed a quarter of what was left in his. Jack waited five minutes before downing another quarter of his bottle, and once again North did the same. The Russian was only drinking half the amount Jack was each time they did this, but the effect he was having on him now became even more obvious than it already was.

When time came that Jack downed the third quarter of his bottle, North lifted his bottle, managed two gulps from it, then set it down on the table looking confused. That confusion only lasted the three seconds it took for him to slump in his seat then slide off his chair to land under the table.

Jack laughed to himself, gulped down the last of his vodka, then set his empty bottle on the table.

"I win." He leaned down to peer under the table. "As for my perk... Hmm, I think the right to take your sleigh out for a ride now and then would be perfect."

North answered with a drunken snore, and Jack grinned. ""Merry Christmas, North."

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Alaia Skyhawk: The infamous drinking contest! Heeheehee! Hope you guys enjoyed it. HAPPY CHRISTMAS! :D