if i think i can figure things out, is that curiosity or arrogance?

Billy just could not process the word "stamina" today without getting more warm, and, well, if he didn't take off his hoodie now, he was going to pass out before they made it back to the dorms. He tried to keep up with Tony and tie the hoodie around his waist at the same time. "I'm not trying to do anything, I promise. Just run."

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"'Kay," Topher squeaked. He kept jogging, looking anywhere but at Billy and Tony.

That pretty much meant watching his feet. At least he probably wouldn't trip that way?

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Tony slowed enough to let the pair keep up with him, checking to make sure someone wasn't going to fall. "You'll get the hang of this in no time," he told Topher, nearly bumping into Billy as his focus drifted elsewhere for a moment.

Weird.

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Billy made a very embarrassing noise as he nearly collided with Tony, and tried not to touch him. "Yeah. Um. What he said." Look, coherency was just not an option at this point.

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"You guys," Topher managed finally, in possibly the most strained voice ever heard, "could you put shirts on?"

Please?

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"You're not hot?" IT WAS HOT, TOPHER. HOT.

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"It's too warm. I'll put it back on at the dorm," Billy said, focusing on the ground.

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Topher whimpered.

Then he abruptly stopped running, yanked his shirt over his head, momentarily flailed about awkwardly for something to do with it, and tossed it on the ground. "Okay," he gasped. "Better."

Look, it just wasn't fair, you guys? It just. Was not. Fair.

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"...you dropped your shirt," Tony pointed out. Helpfully.

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Billy would have said something, but he looked back at Topher and proceeded to stumble and trip. "Ow," he said, wondering if the ground could maybe swallow him up while he was down here.

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"Are you okay!?"

Billy, normally Topher was the one who got injured while hanging out with you, okay.

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"Whoa now!" Tony said, crouching down to help Billy back onto his feet.

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"I'm fine!!" Billy said quickly, scrambling to get up before he became noticeably uncomfortable. "Really! I swear!"

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"'Kay!" Topher said, grateful for the opportunity to spring back. "'Cause. Being fine is, uh. Good! And stuff."

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"Oh...kay," Tony replied slowly, standing back up. "Maybe we should head back?"

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"I think maybe that's a good idea," Billy said, brushing himself off and staring back at the ground. Clearly, that was going to be the only way he'd make it back safely.

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"Adishpagisdhpg," Topher whimpered. "Is anyone else having a really hard time with this?"

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"You get used to it," Tony replied sympathetically, totally not getting what he was talking about.

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"We'll try again some other time," Billy assured him. Maybe when there was a blizzard, or he'd magically gone blind or something.

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Hmm. Apparently not.

"'Kay," Topher squeaked. "And, uh. I'll manage it then. Yeah." Because maybe Tony and Billy would be less incredibly fucking hot then, for god's sake.

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"Okay," Tony said slowly. "I'm going to go work on stuff at the lab if you guys feel better."

Yes. Watch Tony do science. With his arms all bare and flexed.

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"Do you want some company?" Billy asked. Hello, potential flexing of arms. He might have been going crazy, but he wasn't stupid.

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Topher was torn. Tony was very, very hot while sciencing, and also just in general, and Billy was also pretty hot today as well, but he also didn't really want to blow anything up, which seemed kind of possible in his current state. So, despite knowing how uncharacteristic it had to seem, he was forced to decline.

"Um," he said, shifting a little. "I'm just gonna -- yeah." He pointed vaguely toward the dorms. "But, uh. See you guys!"

And then he fled.

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"Think he'll be okay?" Tony asked after an odd moment spent watching him flee. A very, very odd moment where eyes went to strange places.

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