"Oh, calm down, Storm, it's not like you're going to lose all your hard-earned muscle in just a matter of weeks!" Iris sighed. For the past 10 minutes, Storm had been pacing the living room and venting her frustration that she could no longer go to the gym to work out. It was a problem everyone was facing, but people like Storm, who were huge fitness nuts, were taking the blow much harder than the rest of the general populous.

"But for every day I don't exercise, that's another day down the drain!" Storm tried to explain. "Of course I know all of my years of muscle won't just vanish after a week or two, but each passing day is another day against everything I worked so hard to build! Besides, it isn't even just my body I worry about. It's my mind. I worry that if I become too complacent with all of this, I'll just stop caring!"

It was after hearing this sentence that Iris' amused exasperation turned to sympathy and understanding. Now that was a legitimate concern. It was something Iris, herself, was sort of going through. She'd never been big on exercise, but just because of Storm, she would sometimes allow herself to be dragged to the gym so that they could work out together. And not only that, but even though Iris wasn't as into exercise as Storm (but then again, no one was), Iris still respected and understood the value of a fit body and she, admittedly, did like looking into a mirror and seeing some muscles. So she understood Storm's frustration in that regard.

But what really made her sympathetic was Storm's remark about her mental health. It wasn't just in the sense that the quarantine was starting to make her go a little crazy. Actually, if anything, Storm liked having an excuse to never interact with other people. Instead, what she was referring to was that for every day she didn't exercise, she wasn't just losing muscle, she was also losing motivation. She was becoming too used to a relaxed life and that it would make it all the harder to get back into the swing of things once the gyms reopened. That was what Iris could relate to. She was already passed that point. She was losing tone and gaining weight, but she really didn't care. Storm was worried she'd hit the same point.

Granted, like Iris had said, a couple weeks were not going to kill anyone, and someone like her didn't need to worry about her body that much anyway, but she still understood Storm's frustrations. And again, Storm was a huge fitness nerd. Of course she would be taking this harder than Iris. Storm hadn't totally gone crazy with paranoia, but the fact that she was this worked up over the gyms being closed spoke for itself. The woman was just too devoted to her physicality and although this was admirable in some cases, it was overkill in others.

"Think of it this way: We're all out here gaining weight and losing muscle," Iris snickered. "It's not just you. No one is really working out anymore and all of us are getting out of shape."

"Just because everyone is doing it doesn't make it right," Storm growled. "Besides, regardless of the rest of the world, this is just something that I want for myself! I want to stay fit for me! For the sake of my own body and mind!" she added, and once again, Iris became sympathetic.

"I understand," she said. "I'm sorry for teasing you over it."

"No, you're fine," Storm gave a frustrated sigh, but they both knew it was not directed at Iris. It was just life in general, and the maddening restrictions of quarantine. It was so funny how sometimes the smallest things were what hurt the most. Of all the things to be mad about in a year where the world was on fire (literally, in some cases), what currently had Storm all pent up was the fact that no one was exercising.

Welcome to 2020: The year of the world being on fire, governments becoming more corrupt in the face of a pandemic, toilet paper being in short supply, global warming still being a growing crisis, work and school going virtual, everything being shut down, Antarctica recently hitting over 100 degrees, international conflict, internal conflict, murder hornets, an unsteady economy also in the face of the pandemic, riots, raids, violence, police brutality… and gyms being shut down indefinitely. As one of their friends had so eloquently put it: little dungheap (the world) was on fire.

"I guess I just admired my muscle, so to lose it is disheartening," Storm said, quieter now. "It's something I took pride in, and now look at it. Even if it hasn't changed much, just the knowledge that I'm letting myself become so undisciplined is what I find… irksome."

"I understand," Iris repeated gently, and she did. Even though she was way more chill than Storm would ever be, that didn't mean she couldn't understand why this gym matter had Storm so worked up. It was a valid concern, especially to someone like her.

"Let's see we if we can trying working out working out," Iris finally suggested.

"What?" Storm echoed dumbly.

"I mean, let's see if we can try to make some sort of exercise plan right here and now. I know our house isn't the same as a gym, but it would be better than nothing," Iris clarified, and Storm's eyes lit up.

"Really? You'd do that for me?" she asked.

"Of course, because I know it makes you happy," Iris gave her a tender smile. "Besides, I could probably use a workout too," she added a second later, gentle smile turning into a playful one as she jokingly patted her stomach. It didn't look any different now than it did before quarantine, but Iris was still not going to deny how out of shape she probably was.

So for the next half hour, the pair planned and planned and planned. They decided what muscle groups they would want to work on and what exercises would be best for those groups. Once that it was done, it was just a matter of being creative and utilizing what they had around the house in order to stand in for proper equipment. Iris had already jokingly offered up herself as a bench-press.

"I'm 100 lbs, just lay underneath me and lift me up and down. I'm sure you'll get a fair decent workout like that!" Iris laughed.

"The funny thing is, you're probably right," Storm agreed with a snort as she looked Iris up and down. The girl was very tiny, but even though Storm could probably lift something heavier than her, the repetition would still be good no matter how heavy or light Iris was. Besides, 100 wasn't bad. Sure, it was very light for someone of her age, but it wasn't bad.

"Or I could sit on your back while you do pushups!" Iris suggested next.

"Aren't you supposed to be working out with me though?" Storm teased. "Just acting as my equipment does not count."

"Oh, dang, I thought you wouldn't catch onto that!" Iris pretended to snap her fingers in disappointment, her "genius" plan having been "busted".

"I may be brawn, but I'm also brain," Storm reminded the smaller girl with a teasing smirk.

"Ugh, of course, how could I have forgotten? You're a strategist! Of course you'd never miss a thing," Iris pretended to grumble, but her remark earned a laugh from Storm and those were so rare that Iris couldn't help but let a small smile slip through her angry façade.

But once the pair had come up with a suitable plan, the last thing to do was to set dates and times.

"Can we start after I take a nap?" Iris asked, half joking and half serious.

"Iris!" Storm chided with a sigh and a shake of her head. "You just woke up from one like an hour ago!"

"You can never have too many naps!" Iris defended, trying her best to hold in her laughter. "I'm defending champion of the title Ultimate Sleeper!"

"This is why you're out of shape," Storm deadpanned. "That's a poor title to have and your habit of taking like 10 a day is why you're so unfit!"

"Ouch," Iris pretended to be offended, but they both knew it was true.

"We'd better start now before you lose motivation," Storm stood up.

"Ooops, too late," Iris chuckled weakly, pretending to fall asleep on spot.

"Nope," was all Storm said. She grabbed Iris' arm and lifted her up easily. Because Iris hadn't expected that, she gave a very undignified yelp.

"At least I know you're awake now," Storm snickered.

"Yeah and you scared me well enough to give me a heart attack!" Iris griped.

"Good, that means your heartrate is up and your blood is pumping!" Storm gave her a mad grin.

"Oh great, what have I just dragged myself into?" Iris' shoulders slumped, but Storm only continued to give her that infuriating smile.

"C'mon now, it's time to do some workouts!" she cried.

"Yes, Drill Sergeant," Iris droned, but she obediently dropped down onto her stomach. Storm joined her a second later. It was time for some pushups. Oh joy of joys…

"Why did I ever agree to this?" Iris asked herself, feeling tired only after about five. But she looked over to see Storm merrily counting away as she went up and down with ease. Iris couldn't believe Storm had ever worried about falling out of shape. Not when she was still able to hit 20 (and counting) without even seeming to break a sweat!

"Show off!" Iris managed to gasp as she, much slower, continued to rise and fall. Storm was too busy counting to respond, but Iris saw that cheeky smile spread across her face. That was how she knew Storm had heard her just fine and was agreeing wholeheartedly.

But at the same time, Iris saw that excited smile on Storm's face and she felt her heart melt in response. It was a rare day seeing Storm look so into something and it was just enough to make the burning pain in Iris' body seem all worth it. At least at the moment. But Iris could already tell that by the end of the workout session, she was going to be dead… But it was too late to go back now. Instead, all she could do was keep at it, Storm still merrily counting away. It was going to be a very long day. Iris could only hope Storm's joy would make it all worth it. (Spoiler alert: It would).

AN: I'm the perfect opposite of fit and athletic, but to everyone out there who DOES feel bad about the lack of exercise, Storm can relate to you!