comparisons.

"Remind me again why we're studying," Gary asked as he leaned against the back of the couch and kicked his feet up on the coffee table. "I mean, I already took this exam last year—piece of cake."

Paul rolled his eyes as he shoved the boy's feet off his table. "You also failed it last year, which is why we are here. You need to pass so you can be a legal trainer. I'm not going to bail your ass out if you get stopped by Officer Jenny for illegal battling."

"Dude," Gary started as he kicked off his shoes and tried to rest them on the table again, "I could just use my student pass until August. Then, I could get a fake card and we would be fine."

Paul simply shook his head and turned his focus back to his text book. They (well, mostly Paul) were studying for their Pokémon Trainer Exam, which was required to gain a Trainer Card and go on to journey throughout the various leagues to compete. Another exam, known as the Coordinator Exam was also given to those who wanted to compete in contests rather than gym battles.

"Maybe I should just try to Coordinator Exam," Gary added. "I mean, how hard could it be to ace a test based on how to make a pokémon look pretty?" He rolled his eyes and reached for the remote. "Put a fucking dress on it and have it shoot bubbles—not much talent needed."

"Hello, and welcome to Trainers National," a voice boomed from the television. "We are here with early graduate Ash Ketchum!" The camera panned over to a young boy with a baseball cap. "How does it feel to be a whole league ahead of all the other students in your original cast—not to mention the youngest champion ever in Hoenn!"

"Well, it feels—" Gary pressed the power button as soon as he heard the boy's voice.

"That kid is so annoying," he groaned as he threw the remote at the recliner across the room. "I can't believe that asshole already won a friggin' league."

"He's a worthless trainer," Paul agreed. "Must be luck, it'll run out eventually."

"Yeah, I—" Gary stopped as he heard the door open. "I thought you said Reggie wasn't coming back for another week."

"He's not," he replied, looking up towards the hallway. "It's probably just Troublesome."

Before Gary could open his mouth to ask, a girl with blue hair popped out from the dark hallway and gave a small wave. "Hi, Paul... and Gary," she said cheerily, only phrasing the Gary reference as more of a question than a greeting. "Do you have your Unova book; I left mine in my locker."

Paul gave a nod and pointed to the steps behind him with his thumb. "It's in my desk somewhere," he explained as he returned to his own text book.

"Awesome," she chirped before running up the steps, trying to ignore the fact that Gary had looked her up and down about four times.

"Okay, Dawn Berlitz," Gary said as he pulled his feet off the table and slammed Paul's book closed, "she is an A plus, plus."

Paul shot him a glare. "Seriously, Oak? She's two grades below us and four years below you."

"Doesn't make her any less fine," he countered. "Just look at her: hair to her jeans, breasts to at least a full C, not to mention that ass!"

"You know she can probably hear you, right?" the other boy pointed out. "Besides, I'm not interested in her—too cheery, not to mention how she goes on about those damn contests she watches."

"Arceus, why does every hot chick have to be into those stupid beauty pageants?" Gary asked as he rana hand through his hair.

"Because most hot girls are stupid," Paul said as if it were too obvious to be stated. "And at least turn on the TV if you're not going to let me study."

"You can watch TV," Gary said as he stood up, "but I am going to go upstairs and help your sexy little friend find that book."

Paul shot his arm out to slam his friend in the gut. "Not so fast, I will not have you fucking her on my bed—I have to sleep there tonight."

He put his hands up in retreat. "Fine, fine," he said as he sat back down, "but I am taking her home with me somehow."

"Whatever, just remember that she is only sixteen and whatever you have planned is technically illegal," Paul warned as he leaned back and closed his eyes.

Dawn soon skipped down the steps with a relatively thick book in her hands. "Hey, Paul?" she said softly as she walked towards the couch.

"Yeah?" he asked, not bothering to open his eyes. Gary, on the other hand, had both eyes wide open.

"Can I ask you another favour?" Paul opened one eye to let her know he was listening. "Well," she played with her hands and rocked back and forth a bit, "the cable is out at my house until tomorrow..."

He raised an eyebrow as Gary continued to stare at her various curves. "So, I was wondering if I could maybe watch the Grand Festival here."

"No."

"B—But my mom is going to be giving out the Ribbon Cup and I promised her that I would watch!" Dawn argued, her eyes glistening with tears.

Paul let out a sigh as he opened both his eyes. "When does it start?" he muttered.

Dawn stole a glance at her pokétch and looked back at him with a smile. "Ten minutes! Including the interviews, that is."

He gritted his teeth together at the thought of watching Coordinator interviews. "How long is it?"

"About," she glanced at her pokétch and thought for a moment, "six hours from start to finish?"

Paul looked over at Gary, raising his eyebrows as he noticed the drool threatening to fall from the side of his mouth.

"I don't mind," he replied quickly, looking Dawn up and down again.

Paul shook his head before giving in. "No squealing."

"Thank you," Dawn squealed, clearly ignoring his only rule. She hopped onto the couch in between the two males and clapped her hands together. "Channel 6," she said happily, causing Gary to stand up to find the remote.

After countless interviews and one too many "Ooh! I know them!"s, Paul began rubbing his temples and mumbling about the need for pain relievers.

However, his complaints seemed to have little effect on the blunette, seeing as she was still bouncing ever so slightly on the edge of the couch, remote in hand to be sure no one would change the program.

"Please stop bouncing," Paul growled, trying to keep himself from smacking her.

"You're fine," Gary argued, his eyes not leaving her chest.

"Guys hush!" she snapped, putting a finger over her lips. "It's about to start!" Her left hand squeezed Paul's thigh as her right had white knuckles from the grip on the remote, a high pitched squeal emitting from her mouth.

Paul shooed at her hand. "I can't believe I'm watching this shit," he muttered.

Dawn stopped her bouncing and turned at him, her eyes icy. "It's not shit!" she defended, pushing her face close to his.

"Yes, it is," he argued, rolling his eyes at her attempts to intimidate him.

Dawn huffed before slamming her back into the back of the couch, crossing her arms over her chest. "You're just jealous that you aren't smart enough to win a Contest."

Paul scoffed, "Like contests are that hard. Like Gary said earlier, 'Just put a fucking dress on it and make it blow bubbles.'"

Dawn gasped and shot up to glare at Gary. "Did you really say that?"

"That was before I knew a beautiful girl like you was one," he argued, trying as hard as he could to look at her face.

She gave Gary a full smile before shooting Paul a victory smirk. "At least Gary appreciates contests," she said smugly as she settled back onto the couch.

"He's trying to get into your pants." Paul rolled his eyes and rested his arms on the back of the couch. "Just like every other boy who tells you he likes contests."

Dawn opted out of commenting and simply let out a breath to relieve her anger, subconsciously scooting closer to Paul after his comment about Gary.

Two hours of silence went by before Dawn took a break from the TV screen during a set of commercials to look over at Gary, who had fallen asleep a little over twenty minutes earlier. She chewed at her lip for a few second before looking up at Paul, who was pretty focused on the Coca-Cola commercial being reflected off his eyes.

"Hey, Paul," she said softly, trying not to wake Gary.

"Hn?"

"Do guys really only say they like contests to get into my pants?" she asked, a little too much hurt in her voice for Paul's liking.

"Most of 'em," he responded, not bothering to try and make her feel better. "Except Kenny," he added, "I'm pretty sure he's just gay."

"Paul!" Dawn whisper-yelled, hitting his chest lightly.

"Not judging, just saying," he hissed. "But, seriously, Gary just wants to sleep with you. He bitches about Contests more than I do usually."

Dawn let out a sigh as she leaned on Paul's chest, causing a faint blush to dance across his cheeks. "I wish more guys were honest like you are. You never lie to impress me."

"No reason to impress you," he mumbled, trying to focus his attention on the TV and not his heart, which felt like it was beating a million miles a minute.

"I really like that about you," she said so quietly that he had to play it over in his head a few times to catch it.

Paul swallowed a bit and thanked Arceus as he noticed the Contest had started back up. "Just watch your show, Troublesome."

"Dude!" Gary shouted as he ran down the steps after his half-asleep trip to the bathroom. "Wake up, man!" he added as he shook the boy.

Paul jumped awake, instantly glaring as he recognized the voice. "What the hell do you need?" he growled, trying to cover his eyes to keep them form watering from the sunlight.

"Dawn is in your bed and her clothes are on the floor. Please tell me you hit that!"

Paul rolled his eyes. "I told her she could sleep up there if she didn't want to sleep alone at her house."

"Oh, my Arceus!" Gary yelled. "You need to sleep with her so I can live vicariously through you and brag about nailing her when I get to—" He stopped as soon as he noticed a certain blunette eying him from the bottom of the stairs.

A growling Dawn gave Gary the nastiest glare she could muster, trying to ignore that he had taken notice in her outfit: an oversized shirt she had found in Paul's closet and her socks. "You have thirty seconds," she seethed, her cheeks bright red with anger.

"I'll see ya later," Gary said as calmly as possible as he headed for the door. "Text me if you get to tap it!" he added loudly before slamming the door behind him.

"Why are you friends with him?" Dawn as she jumped off the last step as headed towards the purple haired boy.

Paul sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Just like why I'm friends with you—he wouldn't leave me the hell alone."

Dawn let out a sigh as she plunked down beside him. "He's a pervert."

"He's twenty."

"Oh, Arceus!" Dawn squealed. "That makes him even more gross!"

Paul simply nodded and rested his right arm on the top of couch, resting to crook of his elbow against the back of Dawn's head. "You should put on some pants before you walk home."

"Ha, ha," Dawn said sarcastically. "So, did you brag to him about how I was your first kiss back in middle school?"

Paul shook his head. "I try not to remember it."

Dawn looked at him with mock hurt. "I, for one, thought it was amazing and I always talk about it during my slumber parties," she joked.

Paul simply rolled his eyes. "It was sloppy and awkward, not to mention Reggie interrupted it."

Dawn let out a giggle. "Well, it's not like you have anything to compare it to. You haven't kissed anyone else," she pointed out. "Or have you?" she questioned, a devious smile taking over her features.

"Hn."

"Well," she said coyly, "how about I give you something to compare it to?"

He raised his eyebrows and looked down at her, not sure if he wanted her to do what she was about to.

"You can compare it to," she paused and lifted herself up just high enough to press her lips to his. As soon as he realised what was happening, she pulled away and settled back into the couch. "Better?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Better," he mumbled, grabbing the remote and turning on the TV, trying to focus on anything but the girl beside him.

"How would you feel about making that an everyday occurrence?"

He remained quiet, focusing a bit too intently on a Pepsi commercial.

"I guess I'll just have to take that as a yes," she flirted before standing up and stretching. "I'm going to go get dressed and make sure Glameow didn't destroy the house in panic."

"Hn."

Dawn shook her head as she headed towards the staircase. "Pick me up a seven for dinner and a movie?"

"Whatever."

dear God, Paul seems OOC since he says more than a few words. so sorry if he is to you, as well. _._