MMA System: I Will Be Pound For Pound Goat

Waves crashed rhythmically onto the shore, their soothing sound blending with the cool evening breeze.

The beach was quiet, save for the faint hum of distant conversations and the occasional laughter of passersby.

Damon lay stretched out on the sand, his head resting comfortably on Svetlana's thighs.

She absentmindedly ran her fingers through his hair, her touch gentle and soothing.

"So, no dinner date, huh?" Damon chuckled, looking up at her with a teasing smile.

The moonlight gave Svetlana's face a soft glow as she looked down at him.

A slice of pizza rested in her other hand as she giggled. "Nope, just three of my favorite things."

Damon tilted his head slightly, giving her a curious look. "Three?"

She smirked, popping a bite of pizza into her mouth before answering. "Yeah, pizza, the beach... and you."

Damon's grin widened, her words catching him off guard. "Smooth, Lana. Real smooth."

She shrugged, the corners of her lips curling into a playful smile. "What can I say? I'm honest."

Damon smiled and lightly shook his head as he reached up to poke her side.

Her free hand swatting his away as she let out a soft laugh.

They could hear the waves and feel the salty air around them.

It was so peaceful that neither of them wanted to break the spell.

There was no hurry, no stress, and no noise from the outside world. It was just them and this beautiful, quiet moment.

When Damon looked up at the stars at night, they were just barely visible.

He looked at Svetlana from time to time. She looked calm as she looked out at the ocean.

Sound of waves hitting the shore filled the air. It was a soothing beat that went well with how quiet it was.

"This is nice," Damon murmured, his voice soft as he closed his eyes.

It really was.

A rare break from the insanity of training, fighting, and everything else.

When Svetlana ran her fingers through his hair, it was so relaxing that it sent chills down his spine.

It was a reversal of roles. Usually, Damon was the one playing with her hair, twisting strands between his fingers or brushing it aside as they talked.

But this, he realized, was just as comforting, maybe even more so.

He let out a contented sigh, the tension in his body melting away with each stroke of her hand.

Damon let the sound of the waves and the feel of Svetlana's fingers in his hair pull him deeper into a sense of peace he hadn't felt in months.

He opened his eyes briefly to look up at her again.

She wasn't just staring at the ocean; she was smiling softly, her face lit by the moonlight, her blonde hair catching the glow of the beach lights behind them.

She looked… happy.

And that hit him hard.

In his world where his fists did the talking, where every moment was a calculation or a fight for survival, seeing Svetlana at ease, her laughter still lingering in the air, reminded him of why he was doing all of it.

"This is nice," he repeated quietly, his voice barely above a whisper, as if speaking louder would break the spell.

Her fingers continued their soft, rhythmic motion, trailing through his hair, sending little sparks of calm through his body. "Yeah," she replied, her voice just as soft. "You need more of this. Less chaos, more… this."

Damon couldn't help but chuckle. "You trying to turn me into some beach bum now? Trade in the gloves for a surfboard?"

Svetlana laughed lightly, her hand pausing briefly before returning to its comforting path. "No. I just want you to breathe. You're always running, Damon. Always chasing something. You deserve to stop and let life catch up to you once in a while."

Damon didn't answer right away. He didn't know how to.

No one had ever told him to slow down before, let alone asked him to.

Well Victor did...

But,

He'd built his life around being relentless, pushing himself to his limits, fighting like every match was his last.

It was how he survived.

How he won.

But here she was, asking him to simply be.

He shifted slightly, looking up at her fully. "You know, I don't think I've ever told you this, but… you're the only person who's ever made me feel like this. Like I can… let go."

Svetlana's hand paused, her gaze dropping to meet his.

Her smile faded, replaced by something softer, more vulnerable. "Damon, you don't have to carry everything on your own. Not with me. You can let me be here for you."

Her words cut through him in a way nothing else could. Not an opponent's jab, not the roar of a crowd. Just her quiet, honest voice.

He reached up, his hand finding hers and intertwining their fingers. "You already are."

Svetlana blinked quickly, her smile returning but with the edges of her lips trembling just slightly.

She leaned down, pressing her forehead gently to his. "Good," she whispered.

For a long time, they stayed like that, the world around them fading into the background.

Damon focused on the warmth of her touch, the steady rhythm of her breathing, and the way her presence seemed to erase every ounce of pressure he carried.

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And as he closed his eyes again, her fingers still running through his hair, he realized something he hadn't allowed himself to admit before.

Svetlana wasn't just someone he cared about. She was home.

He opened his eyes again, her words echoing in his mind.

She had asked him to let go.

He sighed, the weight of something unspoken pulling at his chest.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Sitting up, he leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees, his gaze fixed on the horizon.

Svetlana tilted her head, concern flickering across her face. "Mmh, what's wrong?"

Damon didn't answer right away.

Instead, his eyes remained locked on the sea, the waves crashing rhythmically as if mirroring the storm in his mind.

After a moment, he spoke, his voice low and distant. "You know… I still think about him."