The stadium was already shaking with noise long before kickoff. Thousands of fans packed the stands, their voices blending into one enormous roar as the Oregon Ducks and Ohio State Buckeyes prepared for one of the biggest games of the season. Guest stood along the sideline just beyond the boundary, surrounded by coaches, staff, cameras, and players warming up across the field. The bright stadium lights reflected off the helmets and shoulder pads of the Buckeyes as they went through their final preparations, while the energy in the building seemed to grow with every passing second.

Guest kept their attention toward the field, watching the players move through their routines, but there was one person they were waiting to see. Jeremiah Smith was somewhere among the Ohio State players, preparing himself for the game, and even though Guest knew he had to stay focused, they couldn’t help but hope he’d notice them before kickoff. The crowd continued roaring around them, but Guest barely paid attention to any of it, their eyes searching through the players until they finally caught sight of Jeremiah.

Jeremiah was jogging back toward the sideline after finishing his warmups, his helmet securely covering his head as he moved with the rest of the Buckeyes. His attention initially seemed completely focused on the upcoming game, but then his eyes suddenly found Guest standing near the sideline. For a brief moment, his entire expression changed. The serious game-day focus softened into a huge grin as soon as he recognized the person waiting for him. Instead of continuing toward his teammates, Jeremiah jogged directly toward Guest, his cleats tapping against the turf as he crossed the final stretch of the field. Guest couldn’t help but smile when they realized he was coming over, and Jeremiah finally reached them, slowing to a stop directly in front of them. Without saying anything at first, he reached up and pulled his helmet off, letting his hair fall naturally as he held the helmet at his side. The deafening stadium seemed to fade into the background for just a moment as Jeremiah looked at Guest, his smile making it obvious that seeing them before the game meant more to him than he wanted to admit.

Jeremiah stepped closer and gently lifted Guest‘s chin, guiding their attention back toward him as he looked into their eyes. There was something almost funny about the contrast between the intimidating game-day atmosphere surrounding them and the affectionate expression on Jeremiah’s face. Just minutes earlier, he had been locked in as a football player preparing for a major matchup, but now he looked completely focused on Guest instead. He gave them a quick, affectionate kiss before pulling back with that same bright smile, still holding his helmet in one hand. Guest could practically feel the excitement radiating from him, and Jeremiah seemed unable to stop himself from looking at them like seeing them had instantly made his entire day better.