POV - Annie
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Annie never assumed her brother was actually serious about going to work out with her, especially when she set the time for seven in the morning. She had planned to get up, enjoy her protein shake, head to the gym and have a leisurely workout before hitting up a local cafe for a cute drink. Then maybe come home and tease the big oaf for sleeping in.
Instead, the big guy actually got up and not only that, was completely ready right when she said to be! Thrown off guard, Annie was forced to chug her protein shake and rush out the door with him ruining her ability to enjoy a leisurely morning.
Walking with Lance proved to only further her confusion, from his lack of concern about moving to Asahikawa to how spacey he's recently been, a single thought keeps drumming in Annie's head.
'He changed after the car accident. A lot.'
Arriving at the gym, Annie was able to scrounge up some enjoyment, watching Lyra practically trip over herself upon seeing the big oaf, a sight she always finds amusing. However, upon entering the gym area, Lance stopped moving. It seemed as if he was spacing out again, so Annie called out to him.
"Hey, oaf."
No repsone.
Annie tried again, "Oaf?"
Nothing.
Getting worried she called out louder this time, "Lance!"
Even with her calling his name, something she absolutely never does, he didn't respond. Feeling a welling sense of irritation Annie went to yell, when Lance's vibe shifted. His usual spacey, apathetic vibe melted away to a deep, and mildly scary, intensity that threw Annie completely off.
'What the hell is wrong with him!?'
Feeling greatly angered by this random intensity, Annie got up to the oaf's ear, as best as she could, and yelled.
"HEY, OAF! EARTH TO OAF!"
That finally got his attention as he seemed to snap out of whatever intense trance he was in. Returning to his old self, Lance proceeded to give one of his goofy response. Relieved at his return to normality and irked at the whole event, Annie decides to take the opportunity to tease the big idiot in an attempt to make herself feel better. After thoroughly annoying Lance and feeling content, the twins finally move over to a corner and began warming up for their workout.
'I know Lance is athletic, but he used to never warmup. Saying it was unnecessary and stupid, but he is doing a shockingly well thought out routine.'
Watching Lance go through a coordinated and intentional set of movements, Annie nearly forgot to warm up herself. Recentering herself the two finish their stretches and warm up set, one that nearly saw Lance fall over twice, as Annie slides some weight onto the bar and knocks out her first set.
'Whew, it seems Lance is extra serious today. So much for my light workout.'
Lance steps up to the bar next as Annie prepares to spot him if needed. His first three squats are... rough, almost as if he forgot how to balance his own body. However, after the third squat, the grimace he was holding onto seems to twist into a faint smile as Annie hears Lance grumble to himself.
"Got it."
'Huh, got what?'
Like flipping a switch, the next three squats are smooth, akin to watching a well oiled machine. Making the weight look effortless as he finishes up his set.
Annie stands startled by, the sudden change in, one, his form and, two, the strength he just exhibited feels a burning sense of irritation. Lance has always been strong, yes, but he also hardly worked out, especially after he started running with that gang. But once he started grumbling to himself, his previously bad form, suddenly became really solid.
However, it is his strength that elicits the greatest shock from her as the Lance from a week ago would not have moved that weight so easily. Sure, he is most definitely should be stronger from since when they last worked out, but to make 265 look nearly weightless is plain weird and very annoying.
"Hey, oaf."
The oaf, hearing his glorious title, turns around, "Hmm?"
"Go up in weight, over here trying to make me look like a fool."
"Sorry, that wasn't my intention. It's just been awhile since I've squatted."
'Why do you keep apologizing. That's not like you and it feels weird...'
Annie, rolls her eyes at his response and moves to complete her next set.
With that, the twins continue their workout but the shock Annie feels only grows, leading to where they are now. Lance on his last set. Annie, Lyra and a few the other gym-goers are standing in a semi-circle around Lance, fixated in place through both horror and awe as the giant of a man squats just over 500 pounds.
Annie, knowing damn well that is more than 80-85% of his max, finds no words to admonish him with. In fact, none of the people around her feel the urge to speak either because right now, Lance is exuded a competitive intensity, so overbearing it feels suffocating.
Finally, with a bellow, Lance comes up from his squatted position and racks the weight.
Leaning against the bar, Lance huffs as he wipes his sweat with a towel found nearby, as that violent intensity he displayed earlier recedes. The people around Annie begin to murmur to themselves with the recession of his intensity.
"What a beast!"
"That was insane."
"Damn. Just damn."
Annie, however, is oblivious to their conversations as Lance's voice rises above the crowd like a death knell, "Come on An, what's up next?
Hearing his question, Annie feels her heart drops as the Lance's tapering intensity begins to ramp up yet again.
'This isn't going to be relaxing at all...'
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Two hours later, Annie practically stumbles out of the women's locker room, her now sweat soaked gym clothes haphazardly stuffed into her bag. Wearing some cute yet casual clothes, having originally planned to go to a nearby cafe once she was finished with her workout, now finds herself wanting to do nothing but go home and sleep. Hearing the sound of footsteps and looking up with an ashen look, she sees her brother, the monster himself, standing as if he finished a regular day in the office.
Most would think he didn't workout or it didn't bother him, but Annie, being his twin sister can pick out the small telltale signs of his discomfort.
But none of that matters, the fact that he, someone who has not routinely worked out in around a year, is able to display such extreme endurance while she, someone with an intense and disciplined workout routine, is teetering around like a newborn fawn sends a shiver down her spine.
"Hey An, ready to go?"
"Go die in a whole you troll."
"What the hell did I do?!"
At Lance's words, anger rushes through her like a fire before being doused almost immediately by a combination of exhaustion and logic.
'I was the one who said I'd workout with him. I can't get mad at him now.'
Annie lets out a rueful sigh, "Nothing... let's just go..."
"Alrighty! Hey wanna stop for some food on the way home?"
Upon being reminded of her desired cafe outing but now being unable to due to her exhaustion, Annie's fiery temper surges launches forward in an attempt to ring her brother's neck.
"Die, you asshole!"
Despite her fiery attempt to ring her brothers neck, one depressing thought rings through her mind.
'This is going to be a long, miserable summer.'