Kristofferson received a pat on the head by his uncle and kisses here there from his aunt, much to Ash's disappointment. He had come to stay because his father had fallen ill with double pneumonia. That creep always tends to get the attention. He was taller than him, but Ash was older than him. He had been the centre of attention all day, even when they were swimming he dropped into the pool without splashing. He received more praise than Ash.

That night Ash was reading a comic while his cousin in his blue pyjamas watched him standing up.

"Do you mind if I roll my bed slightly out from under the train set?" he asked his cousin from down below. "It's hard to sleep in that corkscrew position."

Ash sat up glaring down at him. "There's a lot of attitudes going on around here," he said dangerously. "Don't let me get one."

"No, it's only just my spinal cord-"

"Sleep wherever you want, man. Here, take my bed I'll just uh, I'll crawl under the bookcase. Who cares if I get splinters in my ears?"

"Never mind," Kristofferson said guiltily.

"Oh, you gonna put about it?" said Ash crossly, "because I've had up to here with sad house-guest routine!" and he went back to his comic.

"Goodnight," said Kristofferson, not expecting much of a response.

Kristofferson got under the table looking up from under it. He thought about his ill father and started cry softly. Ash heard him from above his bead. He crept down and looked at him. He did feel pretty terrible for snapping at him. He never had a relative who had double pneumonia.

"Do you wanna talk for a bit?" asked Ash trying to be as gentle as possible.

"Are you fine with it?" sniffed the Arctic Fox.

"Yeah," said Ash. "I'm not the one with an ill dad."

Kristofferson wiped his tears with his tail. "My dad is like the best dad in the world. He is everything to me. He taught me how to fish, ski and yoga and all them moves you've seen me do with swimming. I just boasted all of that to you, because if he-if he-"

"I know what you trying to say," said Ash. "Go on."

"If it happened, I would want him to live on."

Ash looked as if he didn't know what to say, but then he said "But he does live on. Your whole Family Tree lives on. Everything he taught you is in your blood. You learned all of them well."

He then felt a touch of anger, because he remembered how people think he is puny as an athlete the reason being he is small.

"I thought did well on that jump today," said Kristofferson.

"Thanks," said Ash. "But anyway, if your dad, you-know-what, look on the bright side though. You will live with us. My mom will cook your favourite dinners and mu dad…well, if he does anything. Like stealing?"

He looked at his cousin's face. He looked shocked.

"Nah I'm just kidding with you," laughed Ash nudging his younger cousin whom deep down, he loved dearly.

"Thanks, Ash," said Kristofferson tearfully. "There are times that I see you more as a brother than a cousin."

He hugged Ash, much to his embarrassment but didn't let it show.

Ash switched on the train set next to them and they watched it spinning around and around.

Please review this! This is my first FanFic and I would like to know how I started as a newcomer. Thanks. xxx.