14. Camden
Camden
Noah picked me up in a bear hug. I couldn’t believe I went from fourth to a silver medal. It all fell apart so quickly for Team Japan, but that happened sometimes.
“You did it, Cam! I’m so proud of you.”
I already felt the tears welling, but I turned to wave to the crowd and tried to find my mother.
I laughed. She was standing on her seat, with Erika holding onto her, as she waved an American flag in the air.
I smiled back at the cameras and thanked all of Team USA’s supporters. Who knew if the mic was even on?
With no prompting, I made my way over to the athletes by the high bar and shook Hiruto’s hand.
It was expected and sportsmanlike, and while it wasn’t any consolation today, he was still one of the best gymnasts in the world.
He was two bad routines away from being just that.
Riku looked inconsolable, his face in his hands, so I left him alone.
Jack congratulated me on my way to Luke, who was talking to Vadim.
Vadim pulled me into a hug and congratulated me, leaving me with Luke.
I was nervous about approaching him, but we were supposed to be pretend friends. A hug with huge smiles was expected, right? He broke the silence first.
“You were amazing, Cam.”
“Thanks, Luke. You...uh...did pretty good yourself.”
Ugh.
Two cameras moved in to get different angles as we made awkward baby steps towards a hug. The attention made it worse, but came with the territory. The USA sweeping the top two spots in the all-around was big news. Even Cassandra was all smiles.
I was taller, so my arms went above his and he fit right into my chest. We hadn’t been this close in four years. This wasn’t a bro-hug.
“I’m so happy for you,” Luke whispered into my ear.
I could feel his curls tickling my neck.
“Me too. I mean, I’m happy for you.”
I let go first, and he followed soon after. “See you on the podium.” Luke winked.
Damn. He was being very playful. And again, my groin liked it, and my heart wanted to like it, but my brain was on full alert. I was in post-Olympic medal bliss and I didn’t need to make any rash decisions.
Ten minutes later and I was crying as the Star-Spangled Banner played throughout the arena. It was for Luke, but I couldn’t help but feel it was partially for me too. After earning the seventh seed, I thought my chances were slim, but what did I know?
I guess crying was an overstatement. It was more like I was leaking. There was no sobbing or shoulder movement. It was all very stoic and masculine.
Truthfully, I didn’t care what anyone thought.
It was what it was. I had always been an emotional person, especially at sporting events, whether a participant or a spectator.
I knew what it was like to lose, so even when it was an athlete on television, I knew what they were feeling.
It was cathartic. It was a release. This was the culmination of all my work, and it was over.
For a few days anyway.
And I had a silver medal.
As the music finished, I held my hand over my heart for a few seconds longer as I tried to collect myself.
Luke had a sheepish half-smile on his face as he looked over at me.
Of course, he wasn’t crying. He gave me another half-hug, and we walked off the stage together to meet back up with Noah and Cassandra.
I gathered up my stuff and headed to the locker room to shower and get ready for the press conference.
“You and Luke are going to have a joint conference.”
“Is that normal?”
“I don’t know. There hasn’t been a one-two finish from the same country since...I don’t know when,” Noah answered, smiling. “But this is coming from USA Gym, so…” He shrugged. “See you in a few.”
“How does it feel knowing that you were only one place away from a gold medal?”
“Well, a silver medal doesn’t feel too bad, I can tell you that.
” The room filled with soft laughter. “In all seriousness, a few events in, I didn’t see myself medalling at all, so to come away with one, let alone a silver, I’m...
really happy. It also helps that it’s a teammate that won the gold medal. ”
“Lucas, the day-in-the-life piece exposing the rivalry between the two of you came out a few days ago. Would you say that helped you today?”
“Ah...first of all, that piece was edited in a way to make it seem like we are rivals. Yes, we were competing today, but we’ve been teammates and friends for years.
Second, no offense to those in the room, but I don’t pay enough attention to the media for it to affect me out there on the podium.
What helped me today was years of training, a great coach, and focusing on what needed to get done. ”
“And what about Japan’s Hiruto Uchida? His confidence seemed to crumble at the end.”
“Hey, I feel for him. We’ve all been there. It happens sometimes, and yeah, today it helped me get the gold medal. In Brisbane, I lost my focus and didn’t medal at all. We all train at such a high level, but can’t be perfect every minute of every day. Sometimes, it’s random.”
“Cam, any thoughts on what’s coming for Team USA the rest of the Olympics?”
“I think if Luke and I proved anything today, it’s that the members of Team USA are a credible threat and we will definitely be coming for more medals. Thank you.”
Everyone was outside the arena waiting for us.
My mom, Erika, the rest of the guys and the coaching staff.
There were lots of hugs all around. Colton was snapping photos, something which I was still terrible at remembering to do.
I silently thanked him as I made my way around to everyone.
I was surprised Luke had followed me out, but Cassandra was with him.
It was nice to see him let loose and celebrate with the team. She kept him so isolated.
“We need to celebrate!” Colton yelled. “We’ve got the two best gymnasts in the world on our team!”
“Nothing too crazy,” Coach said, the warning clear in his tone. “I don’t want any phone calls tonight.”
“What’d you have in mind?” Alex asked.
“Cheeky Blokes?” Orion read the sign.
“What?” Colton appeared nonplussed. “I figured it would be fun.”
“For Alex?” I asked.
“I don’t mind. Just don’t get me a lap dance or anything. I can be the chaperone.”
“You don’t mind going into a gay strip club?” Orion asked.
“Are you even old enough, O?”
“I already called, Luke. When they found out we were Olympians, they said it would be fine.”
“You called them and told them we were coming, Colton?!” I half-yelled. “You’re lucky there isn’t a mob of paparazzi here.”
“I told him some of us weren’t out. He understood.”
“Are you sure you’re okay with this? Anyone could take a picture and post it,” I warned.
“They have a no photos policy. And part of me wants it to just be out there, so if it happens, it happens. Are you okay with that?” Colton asked.
I shrugged. “Let’s do it.”
Cheeky Blokes lived up to its name. Lots of cheeks. Everywhere.
It wasn’t fully nude, but the packages some of these guys were swinging around left little to the imagination. And I’d say our group attracted their attention. Not to suck my own dick, but we were as hot as the dancers.
A guy came out in a cowboy hat and his routine was choreographed to one of Colton’s favorite songs, apparently.
His whoop was loud enough for the entire bar to hear, and when Colton stood up and started dancing at our table, that got the attention of Mr. Cowboy.
He called Colton up on stage, and the two did a little line dance together and only finished once Colton had taken his shirt off.
He had some bills thrown his way too, but gave them to the dancer.
As Colton hopped off the stage, I said, “Zephyrus would kill you if he saw you up there.”
Colton winked at me. “Or...it would make him super jealous and ask me out on a date.”
“You gonna send him a pic of you on stage?” I asked.
“Maybe if I had one.”
“Here’s a video,” Orion said, holding out his phone.
“I thought this place was no phones?” I asked.
Orion shrugged.
Here we go. Colton was going to be upset and admit this was a stupid idea, and we would leave.
“I look good!”
Or not.
Colton bought a lap dance for me. Right in the middle of the club, I had a - not gonna lie - super cute twunk rubbing his junk into my chest and around my face.
It wasn’t so much his moves that eventually did something for me, but his ass.
The second he turned around, my eyes were drawn to his perfect bubble butt, framed by a skimpy jockstrap.
It was one that many workouts had shaped.
I’m only human. My dick responded. And since it’s of the sizable variety, the dancer noticed.
I think he felt it at first, but when he stood up, my bulge was apparent.
It’s likely he was as excited because I noticed his bulge straining in its pouch, and he started whispering very dirty things into my ear as he continued his dance.
I, of course, blushed hard, because the only guys that had said anything remotely similar were porn stars in scenes I jacked off to, or Luke.
Speaking of, I glanced quickly to see what Luke thought of the dancer and his seat was empty.
Where’d he go?
“Thanks for the compliment, beefcake.” My dancer brought my focus back to him when he squeezed my crotch. “Always nice to turn a guy on, especially one as hot as you.”
“Th-thanks. Your ass is amazing.”
He chuckled, and leaned in. “It’s yours, if you want it. Name’s Jamie if you want to find me later.” He gave my ear lobe a lick. I couldn’t help but shiver as I collapsed back into my seat.
“Looks like you enjoyed yourself,” Colton said.
I glanced at him and smiled, nodding.
“Here we go, boys!”
Luke was back, with fresh drinks for all of us.
“Shouldn't we be buying you drinks?” Alex asked.
Before Luke could answer, Orion shouted over the music. “Luke’s the gold medalist. He deserves some junk in his face, too!” He called a dancer over.
I tried to yell, “Fuck yeah,” but I don’t think that’s what came out. Shit. I was a little tipsy.