#those opening ceremonies were soooo French

[rambleonwaywardson]

Clegan Olympics AU - Opening Ceremonies

Masterpost

Author's Note: Some Olympics fluff to start your week. We're going back in time to the start of the AU for a nice opening ceremonies scene. See end notes if you want my thoughts on the real men's gymnastics team.

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“We really shouldn’t be here,” Croz laughs as they crowd against the railing of the boat, athletes pressed together on all sides. Hands on the metal railing, he pushes himself forward and back in anticipation with an excited grin as they prepare to start their journey down the Seine. 

“No we should not,” Curt agrees as he looks up and down the boat at all the other athletes on board.

Curt stands in between Croz and Bucky. On Bucky’s other side is Gale, and then Benny and Marge. They managed to snag a great spot on the lower deck near the front of the boat, and the male gymnasts have been living up to their “face of the games” role by helping to hype up the other athletes while they wait to go. 

Men’s gymnastics qualification starts tomorrow morning, and they definitely should be resting up, not standing on a boat in the pouring rain, cheering and dancing and taking selfies with hundreds of other team USA athletes. Alex and Brady, perhaps the only smart ones on the team, decided to follow that guidance. They had podium training yesterday, a chance to practice on the Paris apparatuses that they’ll be competing on, and everything is starting to feel a lot more real. The pressure is on. 

But seriously, how were they supposed to just miss this historic opening ceremony? For the three American gymnasts, this is their second Olympics, but their first with an actual audience and the ability to be around so many people at once, unlike the tense and lonely atmosphere of Tokyo in 2021. Not to mention, it’s the first opening ceremony ever to not be taking place in a stadium. 

Repeat: they’re on a boat, on the Seine, about to sail past Paris landmarks towards the Eiffel Tower. They’d be damned if they didn’t go. 

The team USA boat is absolutely packed, front to back and top to bottom. Bucky and Gale somehow gravitated towards one another like they were inventing a new law of nature, so now the male gymnasts and the young equestrians make for an unlikely pairing of new friends among the crowd of American athletes. It’s pouring down rain in Paris, but that isn’t bringing the mood down. If anything, it’s psyching the USA boat up even more as they cheer into the downpour and quite literally soak it all in.

Curt leans over the rail to look at the equestrians on Bucky’s other side. “Gale, Benny, you start tomorrow, too, yeah?” 

“Oh yeah,” Benny nods, looking off into the distance with an air that says oh the fuck well. They were, in fact, told not to come to the opening ceremonies, considering Benny’s dressage ride is at 9:30am tomorrow morning, with Gale’s scheduled for 11am. 

“Harding’s gonna kill us,” Gale agrees. He glances over to the gymnasts. “He’s our chef d’équipe.”

Croz furrows his brow. “Pardon?”

“He basically runs the entire US eventing team,” Benny explains. “Coach and manager in one.”

“And he’s gonna kill them,” Marge repeats. She’s the only one out of their group of six who should actually be here, since she’s the only one not starting competition in less than 24 hours. 

“Oh he won’t be complaining when we win him some fucking medals!” Benny exclaims loudly. Gale rolls his eyes as the three gymnasts enthusiastically cheer in response, garnering a shouted agreement from the other athletes around them. 

Bucky wraps an arm around Gale, a hand on his waist. “Well I’d hate for you to miss this, the opening ceremonies of your first Olympics,” he says. “And I’d hate to miss seeing you in this.” He glances up and down at Gale’s outfit, which is the same as every other person’s outfit on this whole boat. Navy blue Ralph Lauren blazer with a pinstripe shirt and washed out blue jeans, the USA opening ceremonies uniform. They’ve also all been given small American flags to wave. Gale has his demurely tucked into the front pocket of his blazer, while Curt and Croz have been sword fighting each other with theirs. 

“What? Seeing us in this fit isn’t good enough for you?” Curt asks, pulling forward the lapels of his blazer as he turns to look, offended, at Bucky. 

“Sorry, man,” Bucky laughs. He tightens his grip on Gale. “I like this view a little more than your ugly mug.” Then he presses his lips to Gale’s cheek. 

“You two gonna be like this the whole boat ride?” Benny asks, nodding to Bucky and Gale. “Cause I might just…” he starts shifting away from Gale, but Marge pushes him back into place. 

“What did I do?” Gale mumbles. He’s just standing here getting manhandled by the American equivalent of a Greek God or some shit. Unless you count the way he lets himself practically sink into Bucky’s embrace, tucking himself in close. 

“You’re too fuckin’ pretty for your own good,” Benny tells him. “Now we gotta deal with these assholes.” With his flag, he motions to the gymnasts, who practically climb on top of each other in mock outrage, muttering curses as they pretend to go after Benny. 

Gale gives them all a look that says to calm down, and they actually listen. Marge can’t help but laugh at how her best friend already holds so much influence over these boys. Bucky lets go of Gale’s waist to reach across and give Benny a consoling pat on the shoulder. Curt sticks his tongue out at the equestrians, smirking as he puts up a peace sign. “Welcome to the shit show. We’re happy to have you.”

On Gale’s other side, Benny wraps an arm around his shoulders and points at him. “Just wait til you see this man in his Olympic dressage get-up.” With his free hand he joins his thumb and forefinger together in an OK sign and winks at Bucky, who smirks at Gale. Gale tries not to squirm uncomfortably and looks down at the water below to hide his blush. 

“Guys we’re moving! We’re moving!” Marge squeals, tapping the railing with her hands as the boat finally pulls into the middle of the water and starts to move down the river. All of the athletes on board cheer as they start their trek through Paris, heading into the night. 

As the next nation to host the summer Games, they’re the second to last boat in the over 80 boat flotilla. It’s dark now, and most of the performances along the river have long since ended, but the bridges and sculptures and buildings around them are lit up bright as can be. Even the fountains spitting water into the air in intricate patterns are backlit with vibrant colors. 

As they set off, the news correspondent that’s been making rounds around the boat seeks them out, a cameraman in tow. The media wasn’t expecting the gymnasts to be out here tonight, so she’s excited to talk to them. John Egan is, after all, one of the big faces of the American presence here. Commercials, billboards, magazine covers – you name it, he’s on it. Sure enough, she starts out by talking to Bucky and Curt, then Croz. She asks them about being the USA’s first hope in several Olympiads for a men’s gymnastics medal, and she of course asks Bucky about what it’s taken to get back to the world stage after a should’ve-been career ending injury. He handles it with grace, even though he’s getting sick and tired of the whole “comeback” cash grab the media likes to label him with. He’ll give the people what they want, though, because he won’t ever again take this sport, his health, or the opportunity to represent his country for granted. 

Eventually, though, the way John so clearly has his arm slung around someone else’s shoulder and isn’t letting go forces the cameraman to zoom out and include the equestrian athletes in the shot. Benny and Marge wave and grin at the camera as Gale gives a small, shy smile that has people across the country falling in love with him on the spot (well, that, and the fact that he’s got the balance between adorable and hot as hell in the bag). 

“This is an athlete combination we haven’t seen before,” the reporter says. “The U.S. gymnasts and equestrians.” She motions to Bucky’s arm over Gale’s shoulder. “You’re both from the DC area. Do you know each other well?“

Bucky nods, smiling at Gale instead of at the camera. “Yeah. Yeah, we know each other.”

Curt scoffs beside him and has to cover his mouth in a fake cough to hide it. 

The reporter asks Gale about how it feels to be at his first Olympics, to be riding down the Seine towards the Eiffel Tower surrounded by other members of Team USA. “Unreal,” he says. “It’s a huge honor to be out here and we’re excited to kick off eventing first thing tomorrow.” 

Then she talks to all three of them about being labeled as the new face of US equestrian. The equestrian team has been doing a sort of marketing revamp leading up to the Olympics in an effort to draw in an even bigger audience, especially with the younger crowd. People are more excited for eventing than ever before, and it’s in major part due to these three. They even appeared on an Olympics commercial together, decked out in red, white, and blue riding gear as they cantered down a center line or soared over massive jumps. 

Benny does most of the talking, Marge chiming in here and there, while Gale says a few charming words but mostly tries not to look like too much of an embarrassment on national TV. Bucky’s arm is still around him, and he focuses on that feeling instead.  

As if sensing his discomfort, Bucky leans in close to the camera, pulling Gale in on one side and Curt on the other. The camera pans out to get all six of them in the shot. “US gymnastics and US equestrian are going to dominate this Olympics,” Bucky declares. “Just you watch!”

Once the reporter has moved on, they all break down into laughter. “Yeah, you two know each other a little too well,” Curt teases, shoving his shoulder against Bucky’s. He knows what Bucky and Gale have been up to when he isn’t in the shared bedroom.

“Fuck off,” Bucky laughs. 

Curt shrugs. “Hey man, I’m happy for you.”

Bucky flips him off and Gale rubs a hand over his face in embarrassment. He tries to turn to talk to Benny and Marge instead, but they’re laughing at him, too, and he shoves them playfully, scowling. “Quit thinkin’ about my sex life and enjoy the ceremony.”

The rain starts coming down even harder, soaking the athletes on board. Water below and water above; they’ve seen a lot of water tonight, they all keep joking. Some have put on the ponchos that were distributed before they set off, but others, the gymnasts and equestrians included, opt not to. There’s something about the feeling of the rain coming down. It makes it feel special in a way, even more of a moment than it already is. Plus, it’s not like they paid for these probably unnecessarily expensive outfits. 

Curt somehow acquires a pair of those ugly Olympic rings glasses and keeps purposely knocking Bucky in the face with them. He goes so far as to take Bucky’s little American flag so he can add to his own, sticking one on each side of his glasses. 

After a futile battle to get his flag back, Bucky turns back to Gale and stops short. Gale is looking down the side of the boat, watching the crowd of American athletes standing along it, the sights of Paris in the background. His lips are parted, his eyes wide as he takes it in. Rain drips down his face, clings to his eyelashes, turns his cheeks pink, and Bucky can’t help but stare. 

“Quite a view, isn’t it?” Bucky says. Absolutely no other opening ceremony can compare to this, but Bucky also sometimes forgets that this is Gale’s first Games at all. He remembers his own sense of wonder in Tokyo, even with things as isolated as they were. 

Gale turns to look at him, that wide-eyed, awe-filled expression shifting to Bucky in a way that makes Bucky’s heart flutter. He blinks, though, and the expression goes away, just a snapshot memory for Bucky to tuck away for safekeeping. 

He grabs Gale by the waist with both hands and turns him so they’re fully facing each other. Then he takes the flag sticking out of Gale’s front pocket and uses it to tap him on the nose. 

“Not gonna wave the flag for your country?”

Gale rolls his eyes and plucks the flag from between Bucky’s fingers, giving it a little halfhearted wave. “Happy?”

“You’re at the Olympics, doll. Show some enthusiasm!” Bucky wraps his hand around Gale’s and guides it over the railing, so the flag waves in the breeze over the side. Then he puts his other hand on Gale’s hip and leans in, placing a gentle kiss on his lips, wet from the rain. Their noses bump, and Gale smiles into the kiss. A real smile conveying actual joy rather than the little half thing he’s known for, and he’s still smiling when they pull away and he finds himself absolutely lost in Bucky’s eyes. The only thing keeping the flag from tumbling over the side of the boat is Bucky’s hand tightly gripping his. 

“I think we may be watching the start of a love story,” Marge says to Benny.

“Oh you didn’t see the real start,” Benny replies, shaking his head. “When Gale got off the plane and came to me in a panic ‘cause he somehow just forgot to get John Egan’s phone number after spending an entire plane ride with him.”

“Hopeless,” Marge agrees lightheartedly. She’s worried about Gale, though. She’s never seen him fall for someone so hard so fast. She’s never seen him fall for anyone, really. She and Benny know that, as much as he puts up a tough front, he’s a sensitive guy deep down who just shoves things away so he doesn’t have to feel them. She’s proud of him, on one hand, for opening up to someone new. But she doesn’t know much about John Egan other than the way he’s been shown in the media. She doesn’t think he’s a bad guy, but he’s a little bit of a wildcard, and she can’t stand the idea of someone toying with Gale’s heart. 

“He’ll be alright,” Benny whispers to her. He knows exactly what she’s thinking, but he also thinks that Gale deserves this. Maybe he’ll get hurt, but maybe he won’t. For now, this is the happiest Benny’s ever seen him, so who is he to step in the middle of it?

If Gale and John can hear them over the way they’re staring at each other, lost in their own world, they don’t say a thing. Instead, Bucky smiles brightly, strokes back a strand of Gale’s hair that came out of place due to the rain, and then he turns back to the rail. Slowly, Bucky’s hand slips away from Gale’s, leaving Gale to wave the little flag on his own. Curt shoves against Bucky again and pats him on the back, and Bucky forcefully reclaims his own flag. The US athletes pump their fists and cheer, hundreds of little American flags waving in the air, as they pass beneath a bridge full of spectators, hyping them up as the parade of nations approaches its end.  

“USA USA USA!” Bucky chants, and pretty soon their entire half of the boat is joining in, even Gale. 

Even as it’s getting dark, an audience is crowded along the Seine in every possible place. On the sides, on the bridges above, on balconies and rooftops of buildings, and they all wave and cheer as the USA boat passes. 

Marge jumps up and down excitedly and points out every landmark they pass. The Notre Dame, Le Louvre, La Concorde. She and Gale joke with each other in French, Benny, in between them, annoyed as ever that they can talk over him in a language that he never bothered to learn. Marge ruffles his hair when he complains and tells him, in French, to stop pouting. 

Despite the crowd on the side of the boat, Curt somehow convinces someone to take a picture of all six of them together. Leaning back against the rail, they press in close and smile for the camera just as they’re passing the Louvre. After that, they trade phones, taking pictures of each other as they sail through Paris. Other than selfies, the first photograph to ever be taken of Gale Cleven and John Egan together is a crooked portrait, taken by Benny, as they stand on the boat in front of La Concorde, a red- and blue-lit fountain rising up behind them. It’s blurry from the pouring rain, and they’re both drenched – Bucky’s curls plastered to his forehead and Gale’s hair gel just starting to give up – but Gale is grinning and laughing, a real laugh that makes his nose scrunch as he throws his head back, his flag waving over the rail. Bucky’s arm is around him, hand on his waist, and he stares at Gale like a man in love. 

Bucky will choose a less suggestive photo of them together to post on Instagram, one where he has his arm over Gale’s shoulders instead, where he’s grinning widely at the camera and Gale has the corner of his mouth quirked up in a barely there smile, where they’re both holding their flags innocently up in front of them with the Eiffel Tower far in the distance, where Curt is photobombing from behind. That’s the one that the world will see at the end of the night, tucked inconspicuously into a selection of photos including Bucky and Curt, the three gymnasts, and the six of them together. 

But the picture of Gale laughing, John clearly about to kiss him silly, the rain coming down in torrents – that’s the one that they’ll keep going back to. That’s the one that they’ll hold onto, look at when they need to smile, the one that they’ll use to remember this night. That picture the world will only see years from now, when John finally posts it on Instagram to reminisce about that fateful Olympics where he met the love of his life. 

But they’re not thinking about any of that right now. Even if they can both feel something ineffable taking root between them, they don’t have the slightest idea where it’s going to go. 

“It’s not fair that your hair still looks so good!” Bucky complains. He reaches a hand out to try to mess up Gale’s hair, but Gale ducks away. 

Just a few strands have broken the hair gel’s hold, but for the most part Gale’s hair is maintaining a nice coiff against the heavy rain coming down. Bucky, on the other hand, is starting to look more and more like a wet dog, his hair flattened but a little frizzy at the same time, drops of water dripping off dark curls. Gale couldn’t love it more. 

“It’s called product,” he informs Bucky. 

“I used product,” Bucky insists.

Gale shrugs and turns so he can lean back against the railing, twisting the flag stick between his fingers as he smirks at the gymnast. “Don’t know what to tell you, then.”

Bucky cocks his head and steps in front of Gale, so he’s standing over him, his slight height advantage suddenly very apparent. Gale looks up at him through long eyelashes, water droplets clinging to them like crystals. Bucky rubs a thumb over Gale’s cheek and is about to come up with some clever retort when Curt makes a gagging noise beside them. 

“Ugh, stop being so obsessed with each other,” he groans. “Disgusting.”

Before any of them can say another word, Marge exclaims “Oh there it is!” She grabs Gale by the shoulder, shaking him out of his head-in-the-clouds moment, as she leans over the rail and points excitedly towards the front of the boat.  

“Well, would you look at that.” Croz’s jaw drops, and all of them turn to look at the Eiffel Tower rising high in front of them as they come around the final bend of the parade route. Sparkling in the darkness like thousands of twinkling stars, the tower is impossible to look away from. The Olympic rings are displayed across the front, lit up in bright white, and it caps off the feeling of pure magic that has encompassed the entire night.

This is real. This is happening. They’re here. 

“We’re at the Paris fucking Olympics,” Benny muses. He puts one hand on Gale’s shoulder and the other on Marge’s. Bucky is pressed against Gale’s other side, and Curt wraps his arms over Bucky and Croz’s shoulders. A line of six athletes newly tied together: three second-time Olympic gymnasts looking to make history, and three first-time Olympic equestrians ready to show the world what US equestrian can be. Drawing it all together is a love story, taking shape under the flickering lights of the city of love. 

They’re just six athletes among hundreds on a crowded boat on the Seine, the “USA” chant ringing out on all sides. The 2024 Games are about to begin, and each one of them will rise to the occasion, look victory in the eye, and claim it for themselves. But even with everything to come, this very moment will stick in their minds for the rest of their lives. 

Bucky tilts his head to rest against Gale’s as they watch the Eiffel Tower go by. Somewhere, someone snaps a picture of them that will get people talking in the coming days. But for now, they just take in the moment. 

“You ready for this?” Bucky asks. 

“Mhm.” Gale nods against him. “Yes.”

He’s ready for it all. 

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Olympics notes:

Paul Juda on the men's gymnastics team reminds me a lot of how I picture Croz in this AU, hyping everyone up, happy to be there. Paul has my heart. A lot of people were surprised to see him selected to the team, but I was really hoping he would be all year and he’s shown up in a big way so far.

Other than Brody's unfortunate falls on high bar, team USA looked great in qualifying. Hoping they keep it up for team finals. Super excited for Fred Richard and Paul Juda who will represent USA in individual All-Around, and for Stephen Nedoroscik who qualified for individual pommel horse finals. I love this whole team tbh.

Again, devastated for Brody, who is usually super consistent and just amazing, especially on high bar. But after a long road to get here, it's truly incredible that he made it to the Olympics, and he has such an amazing (outward) attitude towards it. Looking forward to seeing him in the team finals tomorrow.

I know I never talk about women's gymnastics in this AU but holy shit are these US women phenomenal. Every single one of them ❤️❤️