Page 41 of Full Split (Forbidden Goals #8)
NILES
Fourth place.
Not bad, but I can do better. I could still make the podium for apparatus finals. I can still make it into the top ten to still be a contender for the Olympic team. I can do this.
We can do this.
I know Weston isn’t ready to talk about it or accept anything, but his hug after the all-arounds awards let me know one thing—we still have each other. He doesn’t hate me so much that he’d hope for my failure or anything like that.
Maybe we’ll be okay.
After a team dinner and debriefing, I do my best to give him space but end up running into him downstairs at the hotel bar.
I wasn’t planning on drinking, just came down to get a bottle of sparkling water.
I’m wearing pajama pants and one of my wide-armed tanks, with one of Wyatt’s zip-up hoodies.
I don’t know what it is about practically swimming in his clothes that I love so much, but the comfort felt necessary after the events of the day.
If Weston notices me wearing his dad’s clothes, he doesn’t say anything. I’m surprised he calls me over at all, honestly, but he beckons me over excitedly.
“You won’t believe who I just met,” he says, and drags me over to a few couches where a small group of our teammates are sitting next to two familiar guys. Not familiar because I’ve met them before, familiar because they’re internet famous.
Mik Reinier-Sanders and his husband, Jason, who is actually hotter in real life. Damn.
I’ve been following them for a while now, after an article was published about Jason in The Scene. We found Mik’s travel blog a while after that, which often highlights sporting events and safe travel spaces for the LGBTQ+ community. He has a pretty big following.
Plus, Mik was one of the first journalists to cover my story from a positive and supporting angle, where most mainstream media was trying to remain neutral, and the far-right outlets were out to get me. It’s partially thanks to him that I have vocal online support.
“Hey,” the one I know is Mik stands first. “I’m Mik. We’ve talked before over email. This is my son Jace, and my husband Jason.”
Don’t gawk at the hot beefcake. Don’t gawk at the hot beefcake. Just pretend you definitely haven’t seen him in nothing but a pair of Calvins. Because that magazine spread is definitely not hung up on your bedroom wall, smack dab in the middle of a full collage of hot gay sports gods.
“It’s so nice to meet you in person,” I say, reaching to shake their hands. “I’m glad to get to thank you face to face for that article you did. I think it really helped change some of the narrative.”
“Not enough, I’m afraid, but we’ll get here. Besides, I’m the one that should be thanking you—it was that article that landed me my current job. I’m doing an article for Sports Unleashed about Olympic-bound LGBTQ+ athletes.”
“You’ve done articles for them before, though, haven’t you?” Rina Landry asks. She’s sitting between Brandon Isaacs and Vickie Cole. Shane Linz is sitting on the arm of the couch next to them.
“I have, but it was Niles’ story that landed me a permanent position on the staff. More importantly, it’s what helped a mainstream magazine like Sports Unleashed decide to take an active and positive position on the narrative regarding LGBTQ+ players in professional athletics.”
“I really liked the piece you did in June, about changing the narrative of queer men in professional sports,” Weston says. I know what article he’s talking about. It’s the one that Sports Unleashed put out for their Pride Month issue, and the reason I started subscribing.
“Thank you. I’m hoping we continue to see positive trends socially despite the downturn things have taken politically.”
“What do you mean?” Vickie asks. “What was the article?”
“It was about how the response to queer athletes in professional sports, specifically masculine-centered, popular sports like football and baseball, could be used as a gauge to show how society has grown on LGBTQ+ issues. We were starting to see a rise in out pro athletes, and while a few of them had some bad publicity at first, like Jack Perry from the Carolina Panthers, most of these players have been accepted into the fold and treated normally.”
“Yeah, after the media circus with that ex-girlfriend, no one really cared about anything other than him collecting Super Bowl rings,” Vickie says, nodding.
“Why does that matter, though?” Brandon asks. “He’s like, the golden boy of the NFL.”
“You’re proving my point,” Mik says, smiling. “Even in spaces that are considered to be the pinnacle of toxic masculinity, we were seeing a rise of acceptance and a push for more diversity everywhere.”
“A few players have come out or even been drafted as out players, which is huge,” Weston adds.
“Like who?” Brandon asks. “I don’t remember hearing anything about it.”
“Again, proving my point. Because most people simply don’t care who athletes love or go home to, they just care that they’re good players in the end.”
“But who, though?” Brandon asks. We all laugh.
"Those guys that play for the Tampa Bay Rays, the catcher and pitcher, aren't they together?" Shane says.
"They're not together," Rina answers. "Gabe Rodgers, the catcher, is married to the pitcher's brother. They're best friends though and are super precious. They do this cute little handshake before the games, like one of those super elaborate ones where they snap and bump hips at the end."
"I dunno, that sounds pretty gay," Shane says. Vickie reaches over and smacks him. “What?” he mouths, rubbing his thigh.
Vickie ignores him, her eyes closing, fingers snapping as she tries to remember something. "Or that basketball player from North Carolina that's married to that rich guy. What’s his name?"
"Marcus Vell," Wyatt answers. I nearly jump out of my skin at the sound of his voice behind me.
“Where did you come from?” I say, trying my best not to ogle him.
He grins, then nods at the others. “Fancy meeting you here,” he deadpans, raising an eyebrow at Mik.
“Oh, you know each other?” I exclaim.
“Just met today,” Mik chuckles. “Not sure he’s a fan.”
I turn my wide eyes on my secret boyfriend. “You know who they are, right?”
“He’s a journalist,” Wyatt says. “That’s enough to put me on edge.”
“Oh, my sweet summer child,” I say, reaching up to pat his head. “It’s a good thing you’re cute. And beefy.”
Weston coughs. I pull back. This isn’t abnormal behavior from me, but I supposed I should still be careful.
“Dad, this is the guy who wrote that article blasting the people that leaked Niles’ business to the public. And he writes pro-LGBTQ+ articles for?—”
“For Sports Unleashed . I got that much,” Wyatt says, sounding largely unimpressed. “It’s nice to meet you, officially. You’ll have to excuse me for being a little protective of these two.”
“Considering the bullshit the media is putting them through right now, I don’t blame you. And I don’t blame you,” Mik says, directing his attention to me, “for not accepting any interviews outside the arena. It’s the safest strategy right now.”
“Weren’t you trying to get an interview with him a few months back?” Wyatt asks, narrowing his eyes at Mik. I can’t decide if I want to laugh about his grumpy bear routine or swoon because he no doubt remembers how excited I was that an influencer I follow reached out to me.
“I said what I said,” Mik says, laughing. “But also, I know my end goals. You can’t be sure of that, so caution is best.”
“And what are your end goals?” Rina asks. “Considering you asked Shane and I to both interview, and as the only other out gymnasts on Team USA, I think it’s a good idea to know for sure.”
“To change the narrative,” I answer for him. I truly believe that’s what he’s trying to accomplish. Everything he’s done so far has backed that up. If I were going to do an interview outside of official competition press conferences, it’d be with him.
“And it’s working,” Mik’s son says. “Even after the current administration started their anti-LGBT tirade, participation in Pride events didn’t change this year, despite more publicity for negative feedback.”
“The keywords being more publicity,” Mik says.
“Because society as a whole is still on the side of diversity and inclusion, but the people currently in power are trying to sway public opinion by suppressing positive responses and putting a microscope on the negative. So when organizations like the NFL, MLB, and NBA are still hosting Pride Night and putting out Pride merch, it’s not only a big middle finger to the politicians trying to drive division, it’s an indicator that we can and are still moving forward. ”
“Isn’t all of that crap kind of performative, though?” Brandon asks.
“It certainly can be, but there’s value in performance,” Mik answers.
“Optics are important. Increased visibility and acceptance, especially in male-dominated or historically conservative spaces, has a positive influence on society as a whole. It’s a signal of allyship, which helps build safer spaces and encourages education and policy change on teams and workplaces.
Plus, a lot of money gets donated to LGBTQ+ youth programs from the boost in revenue. ”
“And it encourages the next generation of athletes,” I say.
“Close your eyes and think about your idols. The athletes or professionals you look up to, that made you want to push yourself this far. How many of them have something in common with you? How many of them have overcome odds or beat the system? How many of them shattered glass ceilings built with panes of a society meant to keep them down?”
“Athletes and celebrities alike are role models, for better or for worse,” Jason says.
“Yeah,” Jace says. “If there’s a scrawny ginger gay boy out there who wants to play rugby, he has someone to look up to, because my uncle has a platform. A largely naked platform, mind you— Oof ?—”
We laugh as Jason wraps a beefy arm around Jace’s neck and gives him a noogie until Jace yells, “Uncle!”