the competition was nothing but potential—a gift waiting for them to unwrap. Maybe it’ll be the legendary and iconic Red Ryder BB gun with a compass in the stock. Maybe it’ll be a pair of tube socks. But right now? It was nothing but magic and wonder.
With nine days’ worth of training to get through before they got to rip open the package.
They crossed the plaza and followed the coaches into the training gym.
“Niiiice.” Danny dropped his bag next to the spring floor. “Everything all pristine and shiny.”
Eddie pointed to a chalky footprint. “Not all that shiny. Someone must have beat us in here today.”
As most of the guys started stripping off their outerwear, Tony tugged on Sol’s sleeve. “Come on.”
Sol glanced at Xiao, who was waiting to direct their warm up. “But—”
“Just for a minute. Do you need to do the pee-pee dance for an excuse?”
Sol scowled at him. “No. Of course not.” But he still glanced nervously over his shoulder before he followed Tony out of the gym and down a corridor. “Where are we—oh.”
Tony stopped at the end of the tunnel, the arena vast and echoing beyond him. “You’ll never see it like this again.”
Sol joined him and they moved out onto the floor next to the vault runway. Sol had been competing, on both the national and international level, for years. He’d been in more gyms and arenas than he could count, some of them empty, some of them relatively new. Hell, he’d been to Rio. But it had never been like this.
This time, he wouldn’t be a spectator, a passive member of the team, suited up for no reason. This time, he’d be out there—pounding toward the vault table, tumbling across the spring floor, swinging from the high bar. All of it.
For the first time, an empty arena made him feel small.
Tony moved closer, his shoulder brushing Sol’s. “Intense, isn’t it?” Sol nodded, swallowing against a lump the size of his fist. “Just wait until we march out on the first day of competition. It’s not like any other meet.”
“I get that,” he croaked. God, do I get that. Even the World Championships didn’t have this… this weight.
“Hey.” Tony grabbed Sol’s hand. “You okay?”
“Yeah.” No. He felt off balance. Untethered, like the first time he’d tried a high bar release without a safety harness. Only the warmth of Tony’s hand kept him from wobbling. But then a voice echoed from somewhere in the vast arena, and Tony let go.
“Sorry.”
Sol gave him a tight-lipped smile. “Don’t be. I needed that.”
“I’m not sorry for touching you. I’m sorry I had to let go. After the Games, it’ll be different. After the Games, we’re letting our rainbow flag fly.”
Sol nodded, turning to head back toward the training gym. Tony had said the same thing before, but when the team got off the plane, they’d encountered a huge group of XBL fans, all clamoring for Tony. Tony had graciously turned it into a Team USA moment, but until then, Sol hadn’t realized exactly how big Tony’s audience was outside of gymnastics. “Don’t get me wrong. I’d like nothing better. But are you sure? What about your fans? What about your dad?”
“My fans know I’m bi.” He bumped into Sol and didn’t move away immediately. “Hell, I get marriage proposals from all gender identities.”
Sol raised an eyebrow. “Were you ever tempted to accept one of the offers?”
“Never.” Tony grabbed Sol’s elbow, stopping him before he could reach for the gym door. “Not for one single minute. Because in here?” He tapped his chest, over his heart. “In here, I was always waiting for you.”
Sol pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes. “Damn it, Tony. You can’t make me tear up right before practice.”
“In case I never said it before, I’m sorry I ran. I’m sorry I left you. And I’m so, so sorry I never told you how I felt before.”
Sol’s laugh was watery. “It’s probably just as well. If you’d told me you wanted me and then left, I’d have murdered you as soon as you stepped into USOPTC.”
“Really?”
Sol sighed. “No. I’d probably have run after you. And then murdered you.”
Tony grinned. “Well, thank fuck it played out the way it did. Because if you were in prison for murder, you wouldn’t be about to win an Olympic medal.”
Sol grabbed the door handle and gave Tony a wink. “What makes you think I’d have gotten caught?”
“Oh, you’d have gotten caught. The cops could’ve followed the chalky footprints.”
Both