5Hello and welcome to Pride Month Writing Challenge 2023! I really enjoyed doing this last year so I decided to do it again! Although June is going to be kind of busy for me so expect both some double uploads and late uploads.
With that said, enjoy!
Casey grumbled to themselves as they carried the bags containing their newfound art supplies back up to their already cluttered room. Logistically, they knew that there was no reason for them to have bought new markers when they already had a basket full of markers, new and old, on their desk that was cluttered with drawings and sketchbooks.
Well, no matter. Casey was determined to make as many of these as they possibly could in time for the parade! They paused, wondering which flag they should draw first. Should they draw the lesbian flag, or the pansexual flag, or...
Before they knew it, they'd gravitated towards getting the light blue and light pink markers they'd bought. Casey took one look at them and smiled, before immediately opening their new sketchbook and putting marker to paper as they began coloring in light blue at the top and bottom of the flag, time beginning to feel like it was slowing down as they invested themselves into the flag.
When they were done with drawing the transgender flag, they immediately flipped to the next page and grabbed a black, light gray, and light green. They looked at the colors they just grabbed, the markers they had just been using, and then immediately flipped back to the previous page, where their drawing of the transgender flag greeted them.
They...may have been preoccupied with drawing what they identified with, just a bit, but they hadn't even realized it until a moment ago. What about Gabe's flag? OR Ashley's or Mikey's? What about giving out these flags, so much for that if you're projec-
"Hey Case," Mikey hesitantly opened their bedroom door. "Everything okay in there?"
"Oh!" Casey blinked in surprise. They closed their new sketchbook, not wanting Mikey to see their flag art. "I'm just focusing on drawing, that's all!"
"Oh...okay!" Mikey seemed to perk up at realizing nothing was actually wrong with Casey. "Well, Ashley just left to go hang out with her friend Megan. Foster will be here at soon."
"Got it," Casey nodded, still gripping the markers they were about to use in hand.
"What were you drawing?" Mikey asked curiously, tilting his head. Casey paled. They knew their brother wouldn't tell anyone, but they still didn't want to share.
"Nothing I think you'd be interested in seeing," was all they said before opening up their sketchbook and beginning to draw on the second page.
"That was a nice flag you drew," Mikey commented, and Casey froze upon realizing the door never actually closed. "Uh, sorry, if you don't wanna talk about it then-"
"No, thank you," Casey replied, feeling very self-conscious suddenly. They didn't even know why they were suddenly feeling this way. Mikey was their brother. They knew he wouldn't make fun of them for drawing pride flags. "It just feels simplistic, I guess?"
"It's a great flag!" Mikey complimented. "Are you gonna do more flags? Which one's next?" Just as they had expected, he was being nothing but supportive.
Casey looked at the blank page in their sketchbook, then the markers in their hand, and gave their younger brother a small smile. "I am. I was just about to draw the agender flag."
"That's cool," Mikey responded before a knock was heard from downstairs. "Well, I'm off. Foster's here. Have fun drawing flags!" He closed the door and rushed downstairs, and Casey could tell that he was excited to hang out with Foster, but they paid that no mind. They put the black marker to paper and began to draw another flag, letting themselves get lost in thought.
As they finished up what they assumed would be their last flag of the night, another knock was heard from behind their door. "Casey?" Gabe's voice was heard from the other end. "Can I come in?"
"Yep," Casey answered, popping the 'p.' "You're more than welcome to."
Gabe entered their room as Casey turned to face him with sketchbook in hand, with Gabe immediately noting how their hands seemed to have marker stains on them. "What happened?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
Casey chuckled nervously, opening the sketchbook. They flipped to a page, and showed it to their brother.
The page was filled with smaller versions of numerous pride flags, with the words 'HAPPY PRIDE' being written in the white space in the middle of the page in bold lettering. "Happy Pride?" they said.
They felt a pat on their shoulder, so naturally they looked up and saw their older brother smiling softly down at them (which was weird to them, Gabe never really smiled 'softly' when he did smile). "Happy Pride Month, little sibling," he said.
And Casey couldn't help but smile back.
Follow up from last year's shopping chapter :)
Song: Renegades - X Ambassadors
Prompt: Flags