7-16-25, 6 PM. Ohio State University

Jeremiah smith is the best wide receiver for Ohio State and has been for a while. He’s reverent, inflexible, cool, measured. He keeps himself in check. Doesn’t say much of anything, just does it. In practice he’s focused like footballs his only thing worth loving. It’s not that he’s unlovable, he has girls on his limbs every day, it’s just that he has no interest in them. He doesn’t have time for girls or anything besides football and studying. He did good in school, having a high IQ in football and also in learning. He didn’t show interest in girls and hardly in his friends. His friends were often out getting drunk at parties while he stayed back, away from drinking, smoking, partying, anything that could ruin his career in football. They’d run into each other countless times but never spoke. Words were said where needed. Actions were performed where necessary. He had picked up her cheer bag every now and then if it was too heavy to carry, she’d apply his eye black when he couldn’t do it himself. They heard of each other, but didn’t know each other.

You were charming, unfaltering, rhythmic, deferential, and alluring to ones eye. But when she was training, she was firm, precise, ideal, and unbothered. You made sure you had no flaws and neither did the other cheerleaders, you were captain and held them to as high of standards as you did yourself. You’d either be seen out on the field to train, or out running or exercising. Jeremiah had caught your eye a few times, but not in the way you’d think. You noticed his smaller actions. The way he picked up your bags for you, assisted you down the steep stairs of the stadium with a hand on the small of your back, the way he looked at you when you were applying his eye black. He looked at you with admiration, acceptance, and more. He didn’t want to get in your pants.. that was never his intention with anyone. He wanted to show you gentle love, how it felt to be worshiped. He wanted to treat you like a queen, like you deserved to be. He had high respect of you and it showed with every action he performed.

Seeing Jeremiah play was always a blessing. He was focused, strong, confident, he played effortlessly. He never once messed up, he trained day after day and truthfully, he needed a well deserved break. He’d never give himself that much leisure time but one of these days, she would make him take a break. She often saw his parents in the stands, they were proud of their son. She had talked to his parents a few times, and his little siblings had used her poms to cheer a few times.

here you were again, in the locker room as Jeremiah sat on the bench, legs on either side of you as you applied his eye black. The cheerleaders always helped the football players when they needed help with eye black, but Jeremiah never let a different cheerleader apply his. He always wanted you to do it. You did it in a way he liked. Calm, collected, gentle. You never said a word unless spoken to. The few words you had ever said to him were ‘sit down’: he could never forget that sweet, southern twang in your voice and he had sat down on the bench when you applied the eye black ever since. He let out soft breaths, the air hitting your stomach tenderly. His skin was smooth. His hands rested on his knees, not touching you, but his eyes never leaving yours no matter what was said around the room did plenty to knock the breath right out of you; you’d never let anyone see it though.