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Thirteen

Just as he said, when he could move without struggling things did go back to normal if she wasn't with Concordia, Anthea, or even N she was alone. Well she did get the lessons he wanted, a little bit of training with a few Grunts but she didn't sit and talk with them. Those few days had a real effect on her though, sighing to herself Touko decided to roam through the halls. It was a little cold a month had passed just like that she looked down as she walked with no real destination in mind only pausing before bumping into someone she huffed.

"I"m sorry I'm a little out of it." she said.

"That's okay, at least I see you're okay."

Her head whipped up as Paul smiled down at her.

"Paul..."

"Nice to see you ma'am."

She frowned.

"Ma'am?"

"Well you are the Lord's future wife, and there are cameras don't want to get myself in trouble." he said simply.

Fair enough.

"Oh right...I haven't seen much of him sometimes I wonder how that would even work."

He frowned slightly.

"Feeling a little lonely?" he asked.

"Well I don't want to whine but yeah...when I lived with my friends I got used to a lot of excitement and when things mellowed out for the night there was always someone to talk to. Now, if Anthea isn't around I'm mostly alone. Concordia and N will talk to me but they are much quieter and that's nice to I just can't settle."

"Well we could go out if you like...maybe around the grounds." he didn't know why he even offered it was out before the thought finished.

He blushed slightly as she smiled, she was a beauty he wondered if she was used to hearing that though she was young the light plumpness of youth..the semi-cherub look was long since gone. She had such soft, pretty features he couldn't help but think she was almost too...delicate to be with Ghetsis. He cleared his throat hoping the thoughts would rush off. Though she was a sight to distract, she'd twisted her hair into a long braid and rested it over her shoulder she wore a simple long sleeve shirt that was lightly colored and gripped all the way down paired with skinny jeans...she definitely looked out of place when he thought of Ghetsis.

"Really...? Are you sure?"

"If we stay near where you can be seen then it's fine we haven't received any instructions to keep you in I don't see why you can't go maybe half an hour and we'll go from there." he offered.

"Oh okay...you won't get in trouble for being with me will you? I mean do you have something more important to do?"

"I have to take the Zebstrikas out to burn off some energy you coming along is just a perk." he said with a grin.

She bounced a bit.

"Okay let me get my jacket and I'll be right back." she said excitedly.

He nodded and watched her go...bad idea..she was a little too shapely for her own good he blushed darkly remembering his own words.

There are cameras...she's for the boss...and adding that ogling her was a big no-no not one other way to say that.

He shook his head quickly, better to stick to g-rated thoughts.

….

Ghetsis resisted the urge to yawn as Looker went on...and on...and on with his safety presentation, of course not what those words suggested. It was a plan on where they could lead their work to provide more safety for those that didn't cross them. While he still had his normal job he couldn't quite place why so many were afraid to go against The Circle. Though he took all the actions needed to spy and try to find out though...he wasn't very good at being stealthy he hoped that he could win them over with the 'charm' he was sure he had. At the moment he was just a sad attempt at a distraction with no second action.

Maxie was fairly sure he was sent here to get him out of the office.

Ghetsis hit Archie with his cane under the table seeing he had dozed off, the Bosses could scare plenty, lead with an iron fist but when there was no threat. No one they needed to impress or worry about it was pointless to keep up that facade.

He grunted and flipped him off, turning from the table he heard Giovanni tell him to go on, they weren't even sure why they agreed to the meeting it wasn't even a worthwhile waste of time. If anything it was more like a show that they could get caught by surprise, a false sense of security which could technically be good since it wasn't true. Anyone dumb enough to go against them afterwards might make a fun toy.

Jenny might think that they wouldn't worry about him expected him to do more but they made sure just incase the simpleton had some use they didn't know about; that she didn't get a damn thing.

He looked down and sat up slowly seeing that Touko was racing Paul, she actually looked happy without him Paul got some pass from watching over Touko. Though he wasn't in the clear he couldn't just do whatever he pleased just who did he think he was. Ghetsis's thoughts were spinning as he grit his teeth.

"Boss Ghetsis...?"

He realized he was growling and cleared his throat.

"Just get your presentation over with Looker." he muttered turning back.

He was able to concentrate even less and looked toward the window again seeing that Paul was on top of her he saw red. He jumped out the window and was over in a second he grabbed him by his throat and yanked him off of her.

"Wait..."

Touko's pleas fell to silence as he hit the defenseless Grunt with his cane, aside from being alone she did have the lessons he insisted on though only with a mix of Grunts. She knew she couldn't take him in a fight but trying to distract him before he beat the hell out of Paul...she could try she moved to jump on his back.

"Stop it! Stop it...Let him go!"

He punched him all the harder lost in a blind rage...only thinking how dare that bastard touch his woman. His thoughts were jumbled as he snapped Paul's arm having dropped his cane, she hit the side of his head before he swung her off of him though he stepped back gripping his temples, he'd lost control he couldn't think straight Touko scrambled moving to crawl on the other protecting him from any more wild attacks. She whimpered feeling the force, more than enough to hurt yes but even in his rage it was clear he wasn't looking to just kill Paul he wanted to send a message that kept him alive. He grit his teeth moving to grab her by her hair yanking her back till he roughly grabbed her arms and turned her to make her look at him.

"Stop fucking touching him! Are you out of your fucking mind?!" he screamed in her face.

Paul coughed his stomach aching from the swift kick from Ghetsis's boot.

"I wasn't!" she cried.

Like a switch something clicked he dropped Touko in a moment as Paul chewed on his lip gripping his broken arm staring up with a growing mix of bruises. Breathing hard he looked around he could see Looker with the others staring down, a few of the Grunts that were closest hear his scream and come running and then the terrified looks from N and his sisters he looked down and caught that low look from Touko, the angry watery gaze...she didn't trust him but the fight in her wasn't gone that quickly.

It was that look that made him feel the most, he wasn't going to apologize no he had an image to keep.

"Let's go Touko." the heavy growl made her hesitate though when nothing happened he was like that...the image of her friends flashed in her mind.

"Now." he hissed.

She pushed herself up though her back was aching she darted toward the front door, not like he said to walk with him. hHe went after her brushing past the other Grunts. Mars had been kept busy with some minor clean up work punishment for her ignoring him and not properly welcoming Touko, though as she stood there now she knew she got off easy she glared at Touko for running.

As if it was her fault she feared the unknown.

She took her steps in strides to get to her room to slam and lock the door behind her the cut she got from falling on the sharp rocks bled just a bit though that sting was minor. She wasn't alone for too long though she didn't move from the floor. When the door was banged on she flinched.

"Go away there is no one in here with me!"

"Ms. Touko open the door."

"It's us."

She was sure Ghetsis had been behind her she stood slowly to open the door just slightly Anthea slid in.

"Any broken?"

"We've heard father hits pretty hard." N offered.

"We brought medicine, it'll work quick too." Concordia said.

She took a breath attempting to smile though she felt guilty Paul was only trying to be nice and this happens she can bet he would live to not bother again.

"It's okay...I think he was too worked up to focus his strength."

"In any case let's check your back, wherever those few punches landed the cream I have will rub in...it's good for anything before the bruises form." Concordia said.

She turned slowly though N looked the other way as she lifted her shirt up, the cold cream made her shiver though no where near as the haunting picture of his rage.

"What happened?" Anthea asked.

"Something spooked the Zebstrika we were knocked off...then your father was there ready to kill Paul...nothing happened aside from that...I don't care what anyone believes Paul said we had to stay by the window. Where the cameras were to prove where I was neither of us did anything." she snapped.

The siblings looked at one another as N moved to take his phone out.

"We believe you Ms. Touko...we can just look at the camera footage for father ."

N frowned he did believe her but he really wanted to see that something had been a misunderstanding that his father didn't snap over nothing. Though as he went through the time it was exactly as she said obviously keeping her in the light by the camera Paul had no ill intentions either.

Now it was just a matter of who was going to brave the walk to find his father and show him that he was wrong.

…..

"Well that was some sight, you know you should stop by and punish a few of my employees they'd never question me again." Archie said with a grin waving the mug of beer in his hand.

"I'll have to keep in mind that leaping from a window will do nothing to you." Maxie added with a grin.

Idiot bastards, he clenched his fists picturing that look on Touko's face, the tears saying he hurt her, of course he had he knew his strength.

"If you've had issues in the past with that Grunt you should make an example out of him to calm your nerves. Best time to lose control is when you don't have work to do." Giovanni said.

He almost spoke ignoring Looker's weary gaze for once he was thinking the man was scared enough to keep his thoughts to himself. Though the door open.

"Father.."

"I'm in a meeting." he muttered.

"I know but there seems to be some wild pokemon that the Zebstrika aren't used to..they only knocked Paul and Ms. Touko off...it's all on camera nothing happened and we've recovered both pokemon."

He looked up then and N acted as though he only lost it because of lost profit where the pokemon were concerned. He felt a bit sick he lost it over nothing...and got that damned cursed look from Touko over nothing at all.

Now he really felt guilty.

Not something he wished to get used to feeling.

…...