(A/N): Hello readers! Long time no read, huh? I'm truly sorry, but life happens! Who would have thought that managing college classes would be so time consuming? Don't worry, I'm not giving up on this story, guest Sapphire Hikari. I've just simply been too busy. Thank you for your review as well! It always makes my day to read reviews like that because writing is my own passionate love; for those of you who thought it finished with chapter nine simply because they finally confessed...dun dun dun! I have more planned for this story and major character development for Dawn. Warnings to be included: short chapter (sorry but this is a hobby that I love that is simply hard to have time for and I've been sick the past week), there are some happy guests, and those guests are flaming homos. And there shall more homo to follow in the next chapter (which I've already started writing). If you don't like homo...sorry not really sorry. It's my story and I ship it and it is one of my OTPs after Ikarishipping and Precious Metal shipping. Anywho, you don't want to hear my announcements, right? (I have long planned Hetalia fic in the works with Iggy as the main character tho) Without further ado, enjoy this much delayed new installment of 'Sudden Ink'!

P.S. Another hearty thanks to Sapphire Hikari for reviewing my story, and to Laughing Mangoes (your reviews always make me crack a smile) and Dolphin02 as well.

Standard Disclaimers apply.

Paul

Striding next to Dawn, Paul felt on top of the world. Everything seemed right with the universe. He could hear pidgey singing in the trees along the route that they walked, the heat was at a tolerable level for once, Dawn held his hand as they walked, and he noticed the blooming wild flowers and wild Pokémon weaving around them. All was perfect. So perfect, in fact, that he often wondered if he was dreaming as they walked.

They were backtracking to Saffron for his second gym battle, which he was sure would be a cinch with his Weavile. From there they would head to Celadon, which is where the one of the next contests of the seasons would be occurring, as well as where Paul would acquire his third gym badge. It was going so smoothly. He hoped such a high would last forever.

That was until they arrived in Saffron, and had to skirt the huge crowds of excited trainers and other trainer classes congregating around two very unfortunate people. Annoyed, Paul tugged Dawn gently away from the crowd, but of course she wanted to know what was going on that it warranted so many fans to crowd the streets of the large city.

Dawn

"Come on, Paul! Don't you want to know what celebrity is here?"

"No, no I don't," Paul scowled, continuing to back away from the crowd. Huffing, Dawn pulling her hand away from his and crossing her arms defiantly. If there was anything a coordinator would have to know, it would have to be the latest trends, and there was no way she was leaving without finding out who or whom the source of the crowding was. It was childish; but she did not care.

"I'm not leaving. You can go on and get a room in the Pokémon center if you want to."

Shaking his head, Paul trudged away in the direction of the Pokémon center, obviously upset. Well, it should have been obvious that Dawn wanted him to stay with her, but then again, it should have been obvious to her that Paul disliked dealing with crowds or anything he deemed troublesome. The girl was not accepting of a lot of his quirks or flaws.

"Uh, excuse me, trying to get through here…"

Squirming through the crowd, she was wholeheartedly disappointed to see Blue strutting in the attention of the fans around him while Red hid behind him. About to turn around to go after Paul, she found herself yanked back when Blue pulled her over and along as he attempted to escape the fangirls along with Red.

"Yo, Dawn! Long time no see! What brings you to Saffron?" he shouted over the din of people around them.

"Well, I was traveling with Paul, he was going to challenge his second gym here," she shouted back.

"That's cool!" he grinned at her, smoothly sliding into a side alley with Red in tow, thoroughly losing the people following them. The Oak charm dazzled her a little.

"So, uh…do you always have such a large crowd following you around?"

"Me? Nah, my popularity died out when Ethan became champion. The fan girls are for Red; everyone became really hyped for the league when Red came down from the mountain and reclaimed his title as champion," he explained, patting Red on the back.

"I'm considering going back up there," Red muttered in response, which earned a pout from Blue.

"Welllllllllllll," Dawn said, drawing out the sound of the 'l', "I'm heading to the Pokémon center now, so…"

"We'll go with you!"

Dawn and Red's protests went unheard.

Paul

Paul could only shake his head in annoyance when Dawn arrived at the center with Blue and Red in tow. She didn't earn that nickname of 'Troublesome' for nothing. Perhaps he should start calling her that again. The looks he exchanged with Red seemed to convey that the silent champion thought of Blue as annoying as well.

"Hey-o, Paul-io! How's your quest to becoming champion of the league going for ya?"

"It's going well," he ground out, whole-heartedly disliking how Blue had an arm casually draped about Dawn's waist. He was considering giving Blue a friendly high-five to the face for that. (If Red didn't do it first.)

"That's awesome! Dawn told me all about your prowess as a trainer, and I look forward to being your opponent when you get to my gym!" he laughed. Paul felt his eyebrow twitch when he swore he saw Dawn swoon. Abruptly standing and striding over, he snatched Dawn away none too gently and exchanged curt nods with Red.

"Sorry for being rude, but we have some training to do," he waved as strolled out, "see you around town!"

"…well that was a little rude," Blue mattered as he watched the pair of soulmates leave, dejected. Despite how busy he claimed he always was, he really actually has nothing to do every day. Red met him with a steady glare.

"You were all over his girlfriend. Of course he'd be rude," the red eyed champion muttered bitterly, stroking his Pikachu's head. The Pokémon tittered in agreement.

"Oh, come on! You know girls can't resist the Oak family charm," Blue joked.

"…I'm going back to the mountain," Red stated, striding for the doors, not caring for the mob of fans surely to swarm him. Blue rushed after him, like a scene playing out from a drama, of which Dawn and Paul were watching from outside in utter bewilderment.

"Red, baby, wait! Let's talk this out! You act like this every time I'm friendly with a girl!"

"You have the reputation for being the region's biggest flirt."

"Oh come on, those are gossip rags! You know I'm a flaming homo, I even have the tattoo to prove it!"

Seeming to realize that they had an audience, Blue froze up with all the blood rushing to his face.

"See, Paul? I told you that you were over reacting." Blue laughed nervously while Paul was still convinced that a punch to his face was in order.

Literally, at the exact same time that Red was being jelly.

"Paul, that was rude! And let go, you're pulling too hard!" tugging herself free, Dawn stumbled and stood her ground in front of him, Red and Blue talking in the center just steps behind him.

"I don't care if it was rude, he was all over you," he grumbled, crossing his arms moodily.

"Paul, you're overreacting."

"Overreacting? He was smiling at you and put his arm around your waist! You let him put his arm around your waist! You even swooned!"

Huffing in annoyance, Dawn shook her head, "He's just a friendly guy. And I did not swoon!"

Paul sputtered, about to retort, when Blue suddenly wailed as he walked after Red:

"Red, baby, wait! Let's talk this out! You act like this every time I'm friendly with a girl!"

"You have the reputation for being the region's biggest flirt."

"Oh come on, those are gossip rags! You know I'm a flaming homo, I even have the tattoo to prove it!"

Turning back to Paul with a wholly unimpressed expression, Dawn said, "See, Paul? I told you that you were over reacting."

Blue

Inside the room that Dawn and Paul had taken at the Pokémon center, the four of them sat in relatively comfortable ease, with Dawn grooming her piplup and strategizing her next contest on a sheet of paper, Paul and Red quietly talking about fantastic battles they've had in the past, and Blue completed the scene by sitting in the corning, impatiently tapping his foot. Everyone was relaxed, except for him. His patience finally wearing thin, he jumped up in exasperation.

"GAH! How can you guys sit here so calmly?!"

"…I don't see what the big deal is?" responded Paul.

"It's not even that big of a deal," added Red, who was fed up with Blue for the day.

"Yes it is! We can't tell anyone!"

"Why not?" Dawn asked.

"B-because it would ruin our reputations! The magazines would be all over us! We'd never have peace, it's - ," but Blue was interrupted by Red, "It's not a big deal. Being soulmates is not a big deal. It's not some scandal, Blue."

The incredulous look that Blue gave him in response was enough to make the stoic man leave the room. Inconvenienced, Paul sighed.

"I came to Saffron for a gym battle, not a love quarrel straight out of a tv drama."

Blue gave him the begging face that had brought the down fall of so many. When its appeal did not affect the Sinnoh-native, Blue sent his silent appeal upon Dawn. She crumbled in seconds.

"…oh, come on, Paul! Why don't we help him? Just a little bit."

Lips pursing in annoyance, Paul had to give in to Dawn, "Fine."

Blue perked up like a newborn growlithe pup.

"But!"

He seemed to deflate.

"You help me train for my gym battle."

Blue scoffed, "That's the easiest request ever."

"Good. We wake at dawn."

Blue regretted what he said instantaneously.

Well, that concludes this chapter. Next chapter Red is going to be having some girl talk. I felt like I made Blue a little too dramatic, but I feel as though unwanted flare is part of his personality. I apologize for the shortness again, but the next chapter is sure to be exciting. There's to be more homo, a gym battle, and possible lots of fluff with a side of fuzzy feels. Thank you for reading and please leave a review! I really like to know what you think of my stories and constructive criticism is always welcome. (Shameless self-promo here: go and check out my other stories if you want too). Until next time, my lovely readers!