Chapter 8: The Preliminaries The Olympic Stadium hummed with electric anticipation. Preliminaries had begun, and the pressure was suffocating. Kai stood at the edge of the track, heart pounding as he watched Theo line up for his 5000m heat. Theo’s lean, powerful body was coiled with tension, gray eyes focused inward. Even from a distance, Kai felt the pull, that quiet intensity that had slowly dismantled every wall he’d built. "Come on, baby," Kai thought, the endearment slipping into his mind so naturally it startled him. "Show them what you’re made of." Theo’s race was a masterclass in endurance. Long, graceful strides, controlled power, never breaking rhythm even as others faded. When he crossed the line in first place, securing his spot in the finals, Kai’s chest swelled with fierce pride.Their eyes met across the field, Theo’s stormy gray locking onto Kai’s with raw emotion. A small, secret smile curved Theo’s lips, meant only for him. Later, it was Kai’s turn in the 100m he
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