"Pidge, how on earth can you be so desperate? You've got more than a full-ride!"

They adjusted their glasses before responding, not looking at Lance.

"I just need money, fast, and a minimum-wage job won't cover it. So: do you have any ideas, or are you just going to look at me like that?"

Pidge pulled their leg up into the shelf with them.

They were sitting in Lance and Hunk's bookshelf, a textbook in their lap, looking down at Lance in his chair as Hunk moved around in the kitchen to their left.

For the three, this was a typical afternoon; finish their shared two o'clock physics class, come back to Lance and Hunk's dorm, and finish homework while getting way too into personal information.

It's just what best friends do.

"You need money? Pidge, you could probably be a stripper. You're already part-timing lingerie, aren't you?"

Hunk bustled through the doorway to the kitchenette sideways, a bowl of Chex mix in hand. He held it up as Pidge leaned down, grabbing a handful.

"You're funny. I can barely walk without tripping; how the hell would I strip? Plus, it's not part-time. I quit modeling nearly a month ago. Photographers aren't fans of waiting for you to wrestle a binder off, unsurprisingly."

Lance snorted, but he didn't look up from his notebook. He reached out and took the bowl from Hunk, popping a pretzel into his mouth.

"I still don't get how you've managed to need more money already. You could get a roommate?"

Pidge made a face.

"Not a chance."

Hunk flopped onto Lance's futon comfortably, but with enough force that it shook Pidge's bookshelf spot.

"Okay, I won't pretend to know why you need money, but I honestly don't have an easy and fast answer other than going back to modeling."

"I cut my hair-the agency would never take me back now."

"Just get a sugar daddy."

Lance garbled through his mouthful of Chex, flopping backwards. He winked airily. "'Course, if you can find one not interested in anything too weird."

Pidge didn't answer, instead pulling open their laptop.

"Pidge, I was just kidding!"

But it was too late. With a steely glint in their eyes, Pidge shoved their glasses further up their nose and continued typing.

"I can use my modeling pictures for a profile…"

"Yo, Pidge, it was a joke. That's a really dangerous part of the web."

"Uh, Pidge, better idea-just wait until the end of the month and your allowance gets sent in?"

Hunk stood again, peeking nervously at Pidge's screen.

"Here, look; this website will let me give specific guidelines of what I'm interested in. I don't have to sign up for anything sexual."

"Pidge…"

"It's free for a week. I'll just give it a shot; let's be honest, how many people are out there on sugar daddy websites looking to pay for someone to literally fake date?"