Breakdown

Touma let out a lengthy sigh as he stared up at the digital sky. 'Proffesor Daimon... a legend...'

Gaomon approached him. "Master... are you okay?" he asked.

Touma looked back at his friend and smiled some. "Yes... I'm fine. Just... thinking about Masaru's dad..."

His partner blinked. "I never seen you jealous, sir." he noted.

Touma blinked. "Jealous? Of who?" he asked.

"Masaru," Gaomon said.

The blonde thought about it for a minute then looked back out to the sky. "Yeah... I wouldn't mind having a dad like his..."

Gaomon nodded, "I'll be going back inside, Master. Please don't stay out too long." he left after the blonde nodded.

------

Masaru looked around. "Hey, where's Tonma?" he asked.

Yoshino sweatdropped. "He's outside."

Masaru blinked and stood up, walking outside to meet Touma. He seen him leaning on the railing and staring into space. He wondered what was on the blonde's never stopping mind. He walked over to him quietly and placed a hand unsurely on his friend's shoulder.

Touma jumped at the unexpected contact. He looked back to see Masaru. 'Great," he thought, 'just who I need to see.' "What is it, Masaru?" he asked.

Masaru shook his head. "I wanted to see what was wrong with you. You've been acting weird ever since we came to the Sacred City. What's up?"

Touma turned away from him and said nothing. He felt almost sad. Masaru's father has been missing for ten years, and in a sense, Touma felt that his father, too, was missing.

The fighter patted his shoulder and leaned on the railing next to him. "It's okay to talk, Touma." he heard a sigh and waited for the blonde's response.

"Your father..." Touma started, "He's... really a legend, huh?" Sorrow was laced in his voice.

Masaru's expression lightened. "Yeah... it sure seems like it. That... bothers you, Touma?"

Touma stood straight but only for a minute for he turned and sat against the railing, knees pulled to his chest. "You sure are a lucky person, Masaru... You have your family, minus your dad, but I'm sure he's alive in here."

Masaru sat next to him. "You have a family, too, Touma..." Masaru stated, unaware of Touma's past.

Touma then began an explaination. "Because my mother wasn't royalty, the rest of my family looked down upon me. To them I wasn't a true Norstein. Father barely stood up for me... My mother died..." he went to continue but was stopped by Masaru.

"Your mother died...?" he asked, tilting his head some. "I... I didn't know that."

The blonde nodded. "My mother died when I was young... She was hit by a truck..." he wrapped his arms around his knees and rested his chin down. "Father eventually found another woman... One that grandmother had set for him. She died while giving birth to Relena, however... They saved Relena because she was supposed to carry out the Norstein name..." a smile started to form. "Relena.... I was the only one that could stop her from crying... One touch of my hand and she was perfectly fine...." His voice started to waver as his body trembled. Tears rolled down his cheeks and he hid his face, crying softly. "Relena's the only one I can consider family anymore..."

Masaru looked at his friend sadly. 'That's what happened...' he thought.

"I just want a family like you have..." Touma said through his soft gasps.

He grabbed Touma and pulled him close to himself. His arms wrapped firmly around the shaking boy's shoulders. "It's okay..." Masaru promised.

Bright blue eyes looked up at gold ones. "Masaru..."

"You don't need to cry anymore," he said and kissed Touma softly.

Touma blushed and stared at Masaru, confused.

"You can... be part of my family," he said.

"You.... you really mean it, Masaru?" Touma was almost bewildered, his body now shaking with excitement.

Masaru smiled warmly and laid another soft kiss on the boy's lips. "I don't lie, Touma."

Touma smiled and hugged Masaru tightly, sniffling his last few tears away and finding his rightful place not only in Masaru's Daimon's arms; in his heart.