A/N: SIMONE BILES, JORDAN CHILES, SUNI LEE, JADE CAREY AND HEZLY RIVERA ARE OLYMPIC CHAMPIONS. THAT'S IT. THAT'S THE TWEET!
*photo of JJ in a handstand on top of the high bar*
jenniferjareau94
Every time I think the journey is almost over, I come to realise it's just beginning. Nationals lies ahead, but what's beyond is becoming clear. Excited to see where this road takes me. #tokyo2020
|jareaumanar|
scUHREAMINGGGGGGGGGG. JJ IS GOING FOR TOKYO!
|flyhigh101|
CAN'T EVEN!
|angrybeam|
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
|tkatchevmeifyoucan|
OK I NEED TICKETS TO TRIALS STAT
|jareaumanar|
I'm literally sobbing, she's been my favourite gymnast since Tokyo worlds in 2011, this is like a full circle moment for her if she can make it to Tokyo (and I'm sure she can). She's been through so much, and still has more to give to this sport, and we are SO lucky to be here and get to witness it all unfold in real time. Couple that with her and Simone being in the same era? Absolutely unbelievable. Oh my god. I'm so excited.
|angrybeam|
Years from now, gymfans on the Internet are going to post videos of JJ and wish she was in their era. We're so goddamn lucky.
|hurdswordsnotmine|
Who was it who said last year we needed her sweetness on the national team forever? Because I think she saw it!
|tkatchevmeifyoucan|
THAT WAS ME!
Is JJ going for Tokyo?
It absolutely looks like it! Funnily enough, she's one of the only gymnasts I follow on social media, just because I love her insight and perspective on everything even when life continually seems to throw flaming garbage at her, and I saw that post just a few days ago! Very, very excited to see where this takes her. I genuinely thought Rio would be it for her, and so was surprised but understood when she came back last year to 'finish on a happier note'. But when she showed up at Classics this year, I was like girl, who are you kidding! And sure enough, seems she's made up her mind!
Jennifer Jareau *handshake emoji* Oksana Chusovitina?
Hahahahaha! Hey JJ, if you're reading this… Paris 2024? See you there?
We get JJ and Simone for another quad! What are you most excited to see from the two of them?
Honestly, just everything. I love them both as gymnasts, and they've both grown a lot as people outside of the sport in the last few years as well. I'd love to see Simone maybe showcase some of those insane skills she used to throw in the gym for fun (triple double?), and I'd be curious to see if JJ has any unique skills in her repertoire - although, coming off an Achilles injury, I'll just be happy for her to stay in one piece for this quad, please and thank you. I'm definitely most excited for a rematch of the 2016 AA final at Worlds this year though. They are both such incredible gymnasts and so far and above the rest of the field… can JJ back up her last two wins? Or will Simone regain the edge? Stay tuned to find out!
So JJ is going for Tokyo, so exciting! Has the US had a triple Olympian in women's gymnastics before? What kind of records would JJ be expecting to break?
The most recent one would be Dominique Dawes, who girlbossed her way to the 1992, 1996, and 2000 Olympic Games, and was obviously also part of that team in 1996 who won the gold medal. Prior to Dominique though, I think way back in the 50's and 60's? I'm honestly not too sure, records from back then are a little sketchy! As for records, let's not hand her the medals just yet, she's got two full competition seasons to get through before the Olympic season begins, but I will say that a triple beam gold would almost certainly be a record.
They were halfway through their afternoon workout when JJ heard her phone buzzing on top of the foam block she'd left it sitting on. Glancing over at the caller ID, she smiled when she saw it was Simone.
"Hey Nick, Simone's trying to call me, can I drop out for five?" she called out to her coach, who was standing on the other end of the row of beams. He nodded, waving a hand to indicate he had heard her. She leapt over towards her phone, managing to answer it just as it was about to drop the call.
"Hey, to what do I owe the pleasure of a Wednesday afternoon call from you?"
Simone laughed. "I just wanted to check in, see how you pulled up after the Classic, you know, what with your old lady bones and everything"
JJ grinned, sitting on the block and pulling her legs up to cross in front of her, right as Kate landed a super high layout on the high beam with a loud THWACK.
"Nice Kate!" she yelled, before turning back to the phone call. "You're getting really cheeky about my old lady bones"
"Are you at practice?"
"Yeah, we're about halfway through-"
"Oh shit, I'm sorry. I keep forgetting about different timezones"
JJ grinned. "It's all good, Nick didn't mind. Besides, as you said, my old lady bones need a rest"
Simone giggled on the other end. "I think Grandma Aly has been replaced"
"What, with Great Grandma?"
More laughter ensued.
"I've been trying to find the time to call you for days because I also see someone has decided she's gonna TRY FOR TOKYO!"
Pulling the phone away from her ear as Simone shrieked, JJ burst out laughing. When she was sure it was safe, she brought it back to her ear. "I did. And you know… there's still a lot of stuff going on in my head that I'm talking to my therapist about, but making that decision feels like a weight off my shoulders. I didn't realise how much I was torturing myself over it"
"Well, I'm super proud of you. And I'm so excited for you. This is going to be a fun few years!"
"Absolutely. I… I still enjoy this sport. I love it so much. I'm still capable of it. So why the fuck not?"
"Amen to that," Simone giggled. "Honestly, Jayje, I wanna break glass ceilings. In so many ways. You and Aly making the Rio team was seen as such an impossible thing, and why does it have to be that way? Longevity is where it's at"
"Touche," JJ chuckled. "Well, all the glass ceilings you wanna break, I'll be right behind you with a baseball bat"
Simone laughed. "I love that. Look, I'm gonna let you go so Nick doesn't yell at me in Boston, but I'll talk to you later!"
Laughing with her friend, JJ bid goodbye, sliding off the block to rejoin her training group. Now, more than ever, she was ready to put the work in, not just to break the glass ceilings, but to shatter them into a thousand tiny pieces.
"God, I just love you," Will gushed. "Every inch of you is just perfect"
JJ giggled, looping her arms under her husband's, her hands coming to his upper back where she began gently trailing her fingers back and forth. She jutted her chin up ever so slightly, just enough for Will to catch her lips in a long, slow kiss. It was sweet, and soft, just like the sunlight that was cascading through the window and bathing them in warm morning light. They were spending their Sunday morning just like they did every other Sunday; together, relaxed, with no commitments and no plans for the day. And right now, with both of them almost completely naked, draped in soft linens with eyes only for each other, their day was shaping up to be pretty good.
"See now if we were to have a baby as soon as you want, these mornings would just… vanish," JJ murmured against his lips with a little chuckle. Will laughed, pulling back just enough to see her face.
"Let's never have kids," he said in an exaggerated whisper. "I wanna spend every mornin' of my life worshippin' you with no interruptions"
JJ laughed, sliding her arms out from underneath Will as he dropped his head down to the curve of her neck and began to gently lavish the skin there with soft kisses. She sighed, tipping her head up to give him better access, one of her hands coming to the back of his head to gently tousle in his brown waves.
"I wanna thank God," Will murmured in a cheeky voice as he began to kiss across her collarbone. "Your parents… gymnastics… God again-"
JJ giggled.
"-for makin' such an angel"
"Oh stop it," JJ laughed, making Will lift his head and grin up at her. "You are full of it"
"Nuh uh," Will said defiantly, still grinning as he shook his head and brought his lips back up to hers. "You wanna know one of my favourite things about you?"
JJ cocked an eyebrow, her lips quirking into a smile as she waited for him to continue.
"Your twinkly boobs"
She burst out laughing, making Will laugh along with her as he pulled back onto his knees and hooked his fingers under the waistband of her underwear.
"You're ridiculous," she giggled. "But, knowing you would love them is exactly why I got them done," she finished, tipping her chin down towards her shoulder and lifting her legs as Will slid her panties down towards her feet.
"Ten out of ten," he said in a playful voice, making her giggle as he cast them aside with a simple flick, his strong hands running up her legs towards her hips. "They just add to your sparkle"
JJ laughed, tossing her head back against the pillow. Will levered himself forward again, chuckling along with her as he crawled over her body. He leaned down and pulled her into another kiss, long and slow, before breaking away to press a trail of worship along her warm skin. He started at her neck, revisiting where he'd already been, his lips naturally following trails he'd mapped a thousand times down between the valley of her breasts, to the line of hard muscle that defined her toned stomach. His hands came to her bum, sliding across smooth skin, up and around until they met his mouth in her most sacred place.
JJ let out a long breath as he pressed a kiss to the top of her slit, just above where she now wanted him the most, her legs naturally falling further apart until the outside of her thighs were touching the bed. She closed her eyes, her hands coming up to rest on her stomach, forcing her to focus on breathing long and slow as Will gently circled her clit with his tongue. He continued for a few moments with slow circles, listening for the changes in JJ's breathing, the barely audible soft moans that were passing her lips every time she exhaled.
"That feels so good baby," she breathed, flicking her eyes open again just in time to watch Will run his tongue in one long, slow stroke from the bottom to the top of her folds. Her mouth fell open in a silent moan, a shaky breath escaping her as pleasure began to swirl beautifully between her legs. He glanced up, his eyes locking with hers as he brought his lips to fix around her pearl, his tongue fluttering just so to tease and arouse her. She sucked in a breath, focusing on keeping her entire body relaxed as the coil in her belly continued to wind tighter and tighter. One of her hands left her stomach, reaching down for Will and finding his hand with ease, as if he had read her mind. Their fingers linked together, her grip tightening as his tongue carried her higher and higher.
"Yes… just like that," she breathed, her hips rolling down towards his mouth, seeking more pressure, more pleasure. "Right there… right there"
Will knew she was seconds away from her climax. Without needing to be told, he brought his free hand between her legs, slipping two fingers inside to stroke at her pulsing walls. Her sudden intake of breath told him that was the right move, and he immediately followed it by curling his fingers in until he was stroking against her G-spot.
"Oh, I'm gonna cum!" JJ gasped, her hips rocking up sharply, the hand holding onto Will gripping him as if her life depended on it. "I'm gonna-"
Cutting herself off with a loud cry, her orgasm crashed over her, her walls throbbing around Will's fingers as the waves rolled through her body. He rose up, replacing his tongue with the fingers that had been inside of her as he crawled over her body and coaxed her through the release.
"Fuck that felt good," JJ said breathlessly, her body still humming as Will settled his weight beside her. His erection pressed against her side, but there was no rush. There never was.
"I love makin' you feel good," he murmured, dipping his head back to her neck and collarbones, pressing slow, sweet kisses to her pale skin, his fingers still gently circling her clit.
"I know you do," JJ said with a little laugh, turning her head towards him as he lifted his face. Their lips met, the kiss long and slow while between them, JJ wrapped her hand around his hard dick. His breath caught in his throat, a low groan rising up as he broke away from her lips, tipping his head down towards her shoulder.
JJ let out a small giggle, pressing a kiss to his temple and snaking her other arm around his strong shoulders, all the while continuing to stroke him, long and slow, all about the journey rather than the destination. "See? Doesn't that feel good babe? Whenever it's your turn?"
"Yes," Will moaned, his fingers stuttering against her clit as he fought to maintain his own rhythm between her legs. They stayed that way, neither of them in any rush, their bodies humming with excitement and arousal. Will was the first to break the touch, bringing his hand up to cup her cheek as he pulled her into a long, slow kiss. Sweet, and passionate, it pulled JJ into a sensual fog, making her stop her slow strokes and use both of her hands to pull him closer.
"I love you," she murmured as he shifted his weight until he was laying almost on his stomach, his body covering hers, their skin warm wherever it touched.
Pulling back, Will brushed her hair out of her eyes, looking down at her with the pure love and adoration his expression always seemed to hold for her.
"I actually have a lil' present for you," he said after a few moments of comfortable silence, pushing himself up and reaching over the side of the bed. He rifled around below the bed frame for a few seconds, before straightening back up, a neatly rolled blanket held in his hand. It was tied up with a bow, the soft velour fabric catching the morning light.
"A blanket?" JJ giggled.
"Not just any blanket!" Will replied, his voice laced with faux shock. JJ laughed as he dramatically tugged the end of the bow, unravelling the ribbon and allowing the blanket to unfurl itself. "It's a very special blanket"
JJ giggled again. "You're going to have to enlighten me, I'm not following"
Will chuckled, keeping the corner of the blanket clutched in his hand as he crawled back over JJ's body, bringing his lips back to the soft skin just below her ear. "It's a waterproof blanket… specifically designed for… extracurricular activities"
A shiver ran through JJ's body at the sultry tone Will's voice had suddenly taken on.
"You and I definitely love to get down with no inhibitions… and you know I love makin' you squirt… but we both hate havin' to change the sheets afterwards. That's where the blanket comes in," he breathed, his voice barely above a whisper. JJ let out a whine, her body tingling with need all over again. She allowed him to slide the blanket beneath her, and with that, it wasn't long before they got completely lost once more, wasting away their Sunday morning in the absolute best way possible.
As was custom of summer in the South, the inside of Crescent City Gymnastics felt like nothing short of 110 degrees. But that wasn't stopping Bailey-Rose from giving her practise her absolute best. Even as sweat dripped down from her blonde hair, she was determined to push through the last of the conditioning circuit Coach Grace had set up for them.
"Ok, and rest! Let's take five minutes, wipe your face with your towel, have a little drink of water, and then we're going to go one more time," Grace called out to the group of little girls. There was a lot of exaggerated groaning as they relaxed from their workout, and Grace couldn't help but laugh. The world was certainly a very dramatic place for eight and nine year olds.
"Are you moving up a level this fall, Bailey-Rose?" a young girl named Madison asked as she stretched her skinny legs out in front of her. She was almost a full year older than Bailey-Rose, and nearly a whole head taller, with a long dark plait that fell right to her waist. Madison was the girl in her class that everyone wanted to be friends with, but sometimes, she had a bit of an attitude that made it seem like she thought she was better than the other girls.
"Yep!" Bailey-Rose said happily. "Well, I hope so! I want to be just like my Auntie JJ"
"What does your Auntie JJ do? Does she coach gymnastics?" Madison countered.
"No. She's an Olympic champion. She has a lot of gold medals," Bailey-Rose replied matter-of-factly. "You know… Jennifer Jareau?"
Madison sniggered. "Your auntie is not Jennifer Jareau"
A frown crossed Bailey-Rose's face. "Yes she is!"
"She's like… the greatest gymnast ever with Simone Biles. You're telling a porky pie!" Madison shot back, drawing the attention of the girls nearest her.
"No I'm not," Bailey-Rose replied, her voice much quieter as she swallowed down the lump in her throat. She didn't like being called a liar. "She really is my auntie. And I've met Simone. And Aly Raisman. They're all really good friends"
Madison giggled, shaking her head. "Nuh uh. Stop making up stories"
"Alright girls, rest is over! One more circuit and then we can finish up for the day!" Grace called out, interrupting the scattered conversations that had broken out.
As she got into position for her next workout circuit, the fire in Bailey-Rose's belly was suddenly dwindling lower and lower. She moved robotically through the circuit, her muscles burning and aching right to the very end. Before long, she was making her way to the front of the gym where her mom was waiting for her, her gym bag slung over her shoulder.
"Hey Bailey Bug!" Lisa said happily, allowing Bailey-Rose to fall into step beside her as she turned towards the front door of the gym. Her hand came to rest on Bailey-Rose's back, gently guiding her daughter out towards the carpark. "How was practice?"
"Good," Bailey-Rose replied quietly, taking a sip from her water bottle as her mom led the way towards their car. She was quiet as she clambered into the backseat of the car, and for the normally chatty eight year old, that was enough to pique Lisa's interest as she started the ignition.
"Everythin' ok bug?"
There was a short silence before Bailey-Rose heaved a big sigh. "Madison said I was tellin' porky pies"
Lisa smirked slightly, glancing in the rearview mirror at her daughter as she carefully made her way out of the gym's parking lot. "What about?"
"About JJ bein' my auntie!"
"Oh?" Lisa replied, pulling out onto the main road and heading in the direction of their house. "Why's that?"
"Because I said I wanted to be just like my auntie JJ and move up to another level in gymnastics, and Madison asked if JJ is a coach, and I said no, she's got Olympic gold medals! And then Madison said that I was lyin' about my auntie bein' Jennifer Jareau, and that I haven't met Aly and Simone, but I HAVE, Momma! Madison's just being a poohead"
Lisa bit back a laugh; Bailey-Rose was such a theatrical entity whenever she got upset.
"I think people just find it a bit surprisin', bug. JJ is very famous, especially in gymnastics… and sometimes people like to pretend they know famous people to make other people like them more," she said gently. "Madison was probably just a bit surprised!"
"JJ's not famous," Bailey-Rose replied matter-of-factly, making Lisa laugh.
"She is babe. Very. But when she's at home with her family, she's just normal JJ, the JJ we know and love!" she explained. "So she doesn't seem famous when she's at home. But she's very very famous to anyone who likes gymnastics or watches the Olympics"
"But how famous?"
"Well, she's got ten Olympic medals… and that is a lot of Olympic medals for an athlete that's not a swimmer," Lisa chuckled.
"I don't want Madison to think I'm a liar," Bailey-Rose said, her voice suddenly taking on a sad tone. "I'm not a liar"
"I know you're not, bug," Lisa said in a soft voice. "Maybe we can find some pictures of you and JJ tonight, and you can take them to show to your friends at gymnastics?"
"Yeah, I guess so," Bailey-Rose replied, her voice still quiet. "When do I get to see JJ again?"
Lisa smiled, glancing at her young daughter's face in the rearview mirror. "I'm not sure babe. She's got her national championships next weekend, and then more trainin' for worlds. It might not be until Christmas"
She watched as a shadow of sadness crossed the little girl's face, tugging her heart with it. Immediately, she wanted to find a way to put a smile back on Bailey-Rose's face.
Smiling to herself, Lisa focused her eyes back on the road. She guessed she was going to be making some phone calls when she got home…