MMA System: I Will Be Pound For Pound Goat

Damon finally made it back to Dublin.

The clock on the dashboard showed it was between 1 and 2 a.m. as he pulled into the hotel parking lot.

Exhausted but relieved to be back, he stepped out of the car and headed inside.

The quiet hum of the elevator filled his ears as he rode up to his floor.

When the soft ding signaled his arrival, Damon stepped out, making his way down the hallway.

Unlocking the door, he entered the room and immediately glanced toward the bed.

His eyes softened when he saw her, Svetlana, still curled up and seemingly asleep.

A small smile tugged at his lips as he walked over to her.

Lowering himself, he leaned in to kiss her gently, his presence careful not to wake her.

But just as his lips brushed against her forehead, she stirred.

Her eyes fluttered open, meeting his.

"Damon," she murmured, her voice soft but carrying a mix of relief and curiosity.

Caught for a moment, Damon didn't speak.

He wasn't sure if he was ready to answer the unspoken questions in her gaze, but he knew they were coming.

Svetlana shifted slightly, making room for Damon to sit beside her.

He sat down, his shoulders heavy with the weight of the night. "I'm sorry I left without telling you," he said, his voice low but steady. "It was… an impulsive decision."

She looked at him, concern etched across her face. "Where'd you go?"

Her tone wasn't accusatory, nor was it jealous.

Out of context, the conversation might have sounded controlling, but it wasn't.

It stemmed entirely from worry.

And she had every reason to feel that way.

She'd woken up in the middle of the night to find Damon gone, without warning, and learned he'd gone two hours away to another city.

Damon had never done anything like that before. It was so out of character for him that, of course, she was worried.

"I went to Limerick," he admitted, running a hand through his hair. "I… needed to see.."

The room fell quiet for a moment as Damon tried to find the words to explain himself.

Svetlana understood immediately what Damon meant.

Her eyes softened as she moved closer to him, her concern clear.

"Are you okay?" she asked gently.

Damon looked at her, his expression heavy with emotion. "I don't know," he admitted. "I thought I was fine, you know? To go see him again. But... I don't know. It's all too much."

His voice carried the weight of years of unresolved pain.

Without a word, she shifted behind him, wrapping her arms and legs around him as she laid her head on his back.

Her presence was warm and grounding, a quiet reassurance in the middle of his storm.

"You know," she said softly, "we can wait."

Damon shook his head, though she couldn't see it. "We can't... I already set up a meeting."

"With him?" she asked, her voice slightly shocked.

"No," Damon said, exhaling heavily. "He wasn't there. But I found someone else who lives there now, so I asked for a meeting."

"You think he's...?" she began, trailing off.

"I don't know," Damon said again, his tone filled with uncertainty.

There was a pause before Svetlana spoke again, her voice firm yet kind. "I can come with you tomorrow when you meet him."

Damon reached for her hands, intertwining his fingers with hers as he spoke softly, "I would really appreciate that."

Her arms tightened slightly around him, and they sat there in silence for a moment.

Whatever tomorrow brought, they would face it together.
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Damon held her hand firmly, his voice soft. "Thank you."

"For what?" Svetlana asked, her voice gentle but curious.

Damon smiled faintly, even though she couldn't see it. "For this. For talking with me, for understanding. I don't think I could've fallen asleep with all of this on my mind."

She kept her head resting against his back, her arms still wrapped loosely around him. "I'm always here," she said softly, her voice steady and full of reassurance.

Then, slowly, she shifted her position. Moving with care, she slid around from behind him to face him directly.

Her legs rested on either side of him as she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him close.

Svetlana's tone softened further, almost a whisper now. "As for the sleeping problem," she said playfully, her eyes meeting his, "I think I can help with that."

Damon's hand moved on its own, resting on her waist as he met her gaze.

The heaviness that had consumed his thoughts earlier seemed to ease in her presence.

For a moment, the world outside didn't matter, only the connection they shared in that quiet, intimate moment.

Damon leaned in and kissed her, their lips meeting softly at first, then with growing warmth.

For a moment, the rest of the world faded away, leaving only the two of them in that quiet, shared space.

When they finally pulled back, Damon looked at her.

That's when he noticed the tear slipping down her cheek.

"Hey, hey," he said gently, his voice full of concern as he reached up to wipe the tear away with his thumb. "What's wrong?"

Svetlana's voice cracked as she spoke, her emotions spilling out. "Don't leave me, please."

Her words hit him like a weight, and Damon froze for a moment, trying to understand where this was coming from.

But in the end, it didn't matter.

She needed reassurance, and he was going to give it to her.

He released her waist and moved his hands to her face, cupping it tenderly.

His fingers brushed her hair back, fully revealing her beautiful, tear-streaked face.

He looked into her eyes, his own filled with unwavering certainty.

"I love you, okay?" he said firmly, his tone soft but resolute. "I won't ever leave you."

Her breathing steadied as she looked back at him, and a small, trembling smile began to form.

They closed their eyes, leaning into each other until their foreheads touched.

For a while, they stayed like that, letting the quiet moment speak louder than any words could.

Whatever challenges lay ahead, they would face them together.