Room 318, Thursday Morning

[lockestheway]

Peter had come back from radio about half an hour ago, shut his door, and collapsed on his bed. If he was completely honest with himself, big rousing speech or not, what he really wanted was to crawl under his blanket and refuse to leave until this thing was over and his world came back. He was a public relations man - and right now, there was

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[dollpocalypse]

"I'm pretty sure you're a robot," Topher announced from the doorway, tossing a bag of chips at Peter.

Which, yes, was a way of saying that his radio rocked.

[dollpocalypse]

"Yeah, point," Topher said, shrugging. "Doesn't matter that much, though. If whatever this is is gonna eat the whole multiverse, not much we can do, right?"

[lockestheway]

"Unless it's something we can understand and fight," Peter said, not sure where that kind of blase attitude came from. Topher. "I think it's a little early to give up hope, don't you?"

[dollpocalypse]

Topher blinked at him. "I'm not giving up hope," he said, bemused. "It just doesn't seem like something to get worked up about. Like, what can I really do?"

[lockestheway]

"Hit the books?" Peter suggested. "Go through those readings of yours and find something useful, instead of sitting here nattering at me about how you're sure there's nothing you can do?"

[dollpocalypse]

Having assumed Peter was on the same page as he was, Topher was completely taken aback by that. "Dude," he said, rolling onto his side to squint at Peter, "seriously?"

That sounded like work.

[lockestheway]

"Yes, seriously," Peter snapped. "When the universe is coming apart around you, you don't sit around waiting for some hero to swoop in and save you like you're a damsel or something. There's no better time to act."

[dollpocalypse]

Psh. Topher totally wasn't into any of that hero stuff.

WHAT? STOP LAUGHING.

"Fine," Topher grumbled, sitting up, though he was side-eyeing Peter like whoa. "What do you want me to do?"

[lockestheway]

"Like I said, go through that data you gathered. Put anything you notice up on the blog," Peter said, running a hand through his hair. "That's a starting point. And keep monitoring this rock to see if it stays the way it is."

[dollpocalypse]

Topher's eyes widened.

"There's a rock involved?" OH, NOT AGAIN.

[lockestheway]

Peter eyed him. "No, the planet, you idiot."

[dollpocalypse]

"Oh."

That made sense.

"Well -- it was a rock last time!"

[lockestheway]

"I think we can safely assume, Christopher," Peter said, because he'd earned it this time, "That it's not going to be a rock every time."

[dollpocalypse]

"I know that," Topher pointed out in a grumble. "That's why I was surprised."

And concerned. Because that rock had not been kind to him.

[lockestheway]

Peter rolled his eyes. "Not a rock," he said again. Just to be sure.

[dollpocalypse]

"Good." Topher nodded. "I did not care for that rock."

Thank you, Topher.

"So. Research time," he groaned, standing up. "I really have to?"

Sometimes being a minion sucked.