MMA System: I Will Be Pound For Pound Goat

A few days passed quickly as Damon got everything settled in his new space.

The house for his mother had came together beautifully, and his conversations with Victor about making some changes to the apartment had gone smoother than he'd expected.

Victor had waved off Damon's concerns about altering the property.

Saying the Unit was Damons's family.

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Damon appreciated the sentiment more than he let on.

While he hadn't planned on making major changes, knowing the place was his to shape felt good.

True to his nature, Damon kept things simple.

He had worked on just one room, changing it into a small but functional home gym.

A few essential pieces of equipment now filled the room, an adjustable bench, a set of weights, a punching bag, and mats for grappling drills.

It felt right, having a space where he could focus, train, and clear his head.

It was functional, no frills, just like him.

Damon moved around the kitchen with a quiet focus.

Tonight's dinner was set to start in thirty minutes, and everything was nearly ready.

He had planned this evening carefully, putting thought into every detail, even if it was a simple home-cooked meal.

Cooking wasn't something Damon did often, not because he couldn't, but because he'd rarely needed to.

His mother had always been the one to handle meals ever since.

After setting the table, he took a step back to look at what he had done.

All the plates, utensils, and drinks were in the right place.

Even though it was a simple meal, Damon felt a little proud of himself.

Satisfied, he headed to the bathroom for a quick shower.

The hot water washed away the day's tension as he mentally ran through everything one last time.

After drying off, he slipped into casual clothes.

This wasn't a fancy dinner date at a high-end restaurant, it was at home.

And in Damon's mind, that meant no need for extravagant attire.

Still, the occasion felt special, and he hoped Svetlana would think so too.

He glanced at the clock. Fifteen minutes left. Everything was ready.

Now, all he had to do was wait.

Damon barely had a moment to collect himself when a knock echoed through the apartment.

He glanced at the clock, Svetlana shouldn't have been here for another few minutes. Maybe it was the staff or something.

The knock came again, more persistent this time.

"Coming," he called, moving toward the door.

When he opened it, Damon froze for a moment.

Standing there, looking effortlessly beaming in casual clothes like his, was Svetlana.

"You're early," he said as he raised his head.

She smiled, her eyes glinting playfully. "Got tired of waiting."

She moved closer to him, closing the gap between them, and gave him a soft kiss before he could answer.

Damon greeted her warmly and naturally put his hands on her waist.

As the kiss ended, Svetlana stepped inside, and Damon closed the door behind them. "Guess I'll have to move faster next time," he said with a smirk.

"Maybe," she teased, glancing around the room. "Smells amazing in here. Did you actually cook, or should I expect takeout cleverly disguised on plates?"

"Hey," Damon said, feigning offense. "I cooked. You'll see."

Svetlana chuckled, and Damon felt the room brighten just from her presence.

Tonight was already off to a good start.

Damon guided Svetlana to the table, gesturing for her to sit. "Alright, everything's ready. You're about to see my culinary skills in action."

Svetlana raised an eyebrow as she sat down. "You've been hiding these skills from me all this time?"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Not hiding," Damon replied, setting the plates down. "Just… waiting for the right moment."

The food was simple but well-made.

With mashed potatoes, roasted veggies, and grilled chicken.

As Svetlana took her first bite, she looked pleased. "Okay, I take it back. You can cook."

Damon smirked, leaning back slightly. "Told you."

They ate and chatted casually, the conversation flowing easily as it always did.

It was light, fun, and comfortable, exactly what he had hoped for.

As the meal wound down, Svetlana leaned forward slightly, her expression softening. "You know, this is really nice. Just us, no training, no pressure. I like seeing this side of you."

Damon hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah, I've been thinking about… us. About what's next."

Svetlana tilted her head, her curiosity piqued. "What do you mean?"

Damon took a deep breath, his fingers lightly tapping the edge of the table.

He leaned back slightly, his eyes meeting Svetlana's.

"Well," he started, his tone steady but thoughtful. "I've been thinking about how much time we've been spending together. You know, between training, hanging out, and everything else."

Svetlana smiled softly, tilting her head. "Yeah, and?"

Damon hesitated for a moment, his lips curving into a faint, almost nervous smile. "I was thinking… why not make it easier? Instead of going back and forth between places all the time, what if—"

Svetlana's eyes widened slightly, her expression shifting to one of surprise. "Wait… Damon, are you—?"

Damon quickly held up his hands, chuckling lightly. "No, no, not that. I'm not proposing... not yet"

Her cheeks flushed as she laughed softly, her hand moving to cover her mouth. "Oh, okay. For a second, I thought—never mind."

He shook his head, his expression growing more serious but still warm. "What I'm saying is… I want you to move in with me. Here."

Svetlana blinked, her laughter fading as his words settled in. "Move in with you?"

Damon nodded, leaning forward. "Yeah. I mean, we're already spending so much time together, and honestly, I feel like it'd make sense. I've got the space, and… I like having you around. It just feels right."

After looking at his face for a moment, the shock she felt turned into something calmer and more thoughtful. "Damon… are you sure? That's a big step."

"I'm sure," he said firmly. "I've thought about it a lot. I wouldn't ask if I wasn't."

Svetlana smiled, affection lighting up her face. "You know… I like the sound of that."

Damon's shoulders visibly relaxed, and he smiled in return. "So… that's a yes?"

"That's a yes," When she spoke, she reached across the table and grabbed his hand.

They sat there for a moment, their fingers intertwined.

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