"Imma bout to blow my entire stimulus check on a crap-ton of Pride flags or meme stuff!" Quincy joked.
"That is honestly the most in-character thing I've ever heard you say," Maggie snorted back.
"Oh what? Like you were gonna spend yours on anything better?" Quincy teased.
"Perhaps not," Maggie admitted. "But anything would be better than your idea. I was just going to save mine for a better occasion."
"Hey! It's for a good cause!" Quincy argued playfully. "It's Pride Month and there is no better way to mark that month than by showing support by buying a crap-ton of Pride flags! Besides, just storing it up is boring! And literally the whole point of a stimulus check is to spend it!"
"First off, do you even need that many? Second off, where are you gonna put all of them? Your room isn't that big!" Maggie countered. Even though she hadn't been in Quincy's room (unless one counted their video calls where she could see parts of his room whenever it was in frame) since before quarantine began about three months prior, she still knew how small and cluttered it was.
"First off, some of them would've gone to friends unable to buy their own," Quincy replied. "Second off, I'd make it work somehow! Besides, you can never have too much gay stuff! I kinda want to buy a custom flag that has the outline of an archer on it that says Aro-Ace, and of course the background would be like a mashup of the asexual, aromantic flag. I think that would be cool!"
"Ugh, of course you would," Maggie rolled her eyes, but she couldn't stop a smile from spreading across her face. Quincy was a good dude behind his usual clownish self. He was absolutely a huge supporter of everyone and never hesitated to be like that funny, cool, big brother who threw love, affection, time, effort and money at anyone who needed it.
"So you're gonna be a flag dealer?" Emma finally piped up, tickled by the idea.
"Heck yeah!" Quincy agreed. "I'm gonna mail all these babies out this Pride month! All custom-made too. Anyone want anything?"
"You haven't even commissioned any yet," Maggie interrupted.
"Ok, fair enough, I don't have a list in mind yet, but the way I see it, if we can't go to Pride, we're bringing Pride to ourselves!" Quincy replied. "I'm like a gay fairy godmother. Or a gay Santa. I just give everyone gay gifts. The gay sugar daddy."
"Oh my god," Maggie sighed, but she was only just barely able to choke back her laughter. Emma, meanwhile, wasn't even trying, snickering helplessly at the mental image of Quincy dressed up like a fairy (or Santa) and just flying over the town and dropping gay gift baskets down to everyone. They had no doubt that if such a thing were possible, he'd 100% do it.
"Oh, the modern miracle of online shopping," Emma laughed, shaking her head fondly at the other two. She had received her own stimulus check just a few days before Quincy. Already, some of it had gone to little trinkets, art supplies and books, but she was trying to be more careful so that she could really make it last. It was only about $1200 anyway. Granted, that was quite a lot of free money, but in the grand scheme of things, it would run out fast and that really was not enough money for anyone to do more than go on a shopping spree or two. So even though Emma had already indulged a little, she was trying to reign in now before she went too crazy.
Quincy, Emma and Maggie (who had actually not received her check yet, but knew it was coming) were lucky. Unlike some, they were able to use their checks for luxury stuff. But some of their friends had it a bit harder and were going to need to use most of the check to pay off old bills or debts. Of course, again, $1200 wouldn't be enough to totally get them out of the hole, and that well would run dry eventually, but it was still a nice boost up all things considered. The only one not happy about the stimulus check thing was Princeton.
"Because I'm not getting one!" he pouted like a child, arms crossed and lower lip pushed out a little. "Because I still live with my parents and am on their tax forms, or whatever, they're passing me by!"
"Big oof, man," Quincy muttered sympathetically. Maggie and Emma agreed, albeit with more eloquence.
"That's definitely rough," Emma said. "I'm sorry that happened to you. If you want, I can share a bit of mine."
"Yeah, sometimes the government sucks and life hates you," Maggie said. "Of course the one year this happens, you're still someone's dependent!"
"Don't remind me," Princeton grumbled with a bitter sigh. He wasn't that mad, but it was a bummer to think he'd missed out on this decent opportunity by, at max, a year or two. He was already a young adult and could've, hypothetically, moved out already, but he had decided to stay back and live with his parents for a few more years. Now look what that had gotten him.
"Bet you regret living with your parents now, huh?" Quincy asked, trying to joke a little.
"Just a bit," Princeton sighed ruefully. He hated to say it, but it was true. Of course he adored his family and was happy to still live with them, but this was one of those scenarios where if he had known it was coming, he would've moved out quicker. "And Emma, I'll be fine. I can't ask you to give up your check like that," he added, responding to her offer. "I mean, I really appreciate it, but I'll be good."
"I mean, I don't need it either," Emma replied. "I may not be a dependent, but I might as well be, because my family is still supporting me, even if it isn't on some official form or whatever. Besides, even if $1200 isn't much in the grand scheme of things, I could still float you a couple hundred and it wouldn't be like some huge loss."
"Yeah, and I can donate some too," Maggie agreed next.
"And me," Quincy finished.
"Awwwww, you guys…" Princeton began to blush, even though none of them could see it. "That really means a lot to me…"
"I mean hey, the best we could do is for each of us to give you $300. That would give us all $900. Granted, that means the three of us lose $300 each, but once you add up the total count, that still leaves all four of us at almost $1000!" Emma cried excitedly.
"But you don't have to-" Princeton began shyly.
"And if you don't feel ok accepting $300 per person, even if we just give $100 each, that still leaves you with a fat check!" Quincy interrupted.
"Besides, to quote Quincy, it's for a good cause," Maggie agreed seriously. "We'd be happy to start you a GoFundMe."
By now, Princeton could feel his eyes pricking with tears, but he managed to keep his voice even as he politely declined.
"Really, it means the world to me that you guys were so quick to be so kind. I know I'm the luckiest guy alive to have friends like you! But it's all good. I'd rather you all keep your own money. I'm just mad at fate making it so that I was passed by. It's not that I need the money, it's just, you know, we all feel bad when we miss out on something good."
"Fair enough," Maggie agreed. "But if you ever want a few bucks, text me and I'll Venmo or you some."
"Thanks Maggie, you're the best," Princeton sighed, a surge of love for his three friends filling his heart.
"And at least let me send you a nice trans flag for something!" Quincy agreed.
"As if I don't already have a million of those!" Princeton laughed despite himself.
"But this one will be something unique I design. It will be the only one of its type in the entire world!" Quincy replied.
"I don't know where to be flattered or terrified, knowing you," Princeton teased.
"Both," Quincy replied without missing a beat.
"And I would like to contribute to this Pride Package idea too!" Emma chimed in.
"And I guess I have to too," Maggie pretended to sigh reluctantly. "Can't be left out and seem like a Scrooge, can I?"
"Guys, it's really not necessary," Princeton laughed, shaking his head.
"Too late!" Emma and Quincy replied. "Like we said, we're gonna celebrate this year right and put this money to good use. What better way to do that than spoiling our friends and supporting the community all the while? Two birds, one stone! Happy Pride!"
"Fair enough," Princeton laughed. It was a crazy, silly idea, but it had its merits, and it didn't seem like his friends were going to stop their antics any time soon. Oh well, if you can't beat em, join em!
AN: I'm totally not bitter about being the only one of my friend group to not get a stimulus check. Nope. Not me. I'm fine. I'm all good.
(Actually, I really am fine, but I thought it would be fun to poke fun at myself anyway, LOL)