MMA System: I Will Be Pound For Pound Goat

Damon returned to the living room, tossing his phone onto the coffee table as he sank back onto the couch.

He stretched his legs out, rubbing the back of his neck with a sigh.

"That was Joey," he said, glancing at Svetlana. "He said his brother's scheduled for surgery tomorrow. I'm gonna drop by and check on them."

Svetlana tilted her head, her lips curling into a soft smile. "That's good of you," she said, leaning forward slightly. "You think everything's gonna go well?"

"Hope so," Damon replied, his tone carrying a hint of doubt. "Joey sounded optimistic, but… I don't know. I just feel like I need to be there for him."

Svetlana nodded. "That makes sense." She paused, then added, "You want me to come with you?"

Damon shrugged, the offer surprising him slightly. "If you want to. But you don't have to—"

"I'll stay here," she interrupted gently, her tone firm but warm. "I think I'll use the time to go visit my mom. It's been a while, and I think she'd like that."

Damon nodded, understanding. "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. Tell her I said hi."

The morning passed quickly. Damon grabbed his jacket, slid on a pair of sneakers, and glanced over at Svetlana.

She was sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of tea, scrolling through her phone.

"You still planning to visit your mom today?" Damon asked.

Svetlana nodded. "Yeah, and I might stop by Ashley's too. It's been a while since I've seen her and the baby."

Damon smirked. "You're gonna have a busier day than me."

"Someone has to keep things moving," she teased, standing up. "You heading to the hospital now?"

"Yeah," Damon said, grabbing his keys. "Joey said Jake's surgery is tomorrow, but I figured I'd check in today."

"Good call," Svetlana said, walking over to give him a quick hug. "Tell Joey and Jake I said hi."

"I will," Damon replied. "Don't tire yourself out, Lana."

She rolled her eyes. "Says the guy who can't sit still."

Damon grinned as he walked out the door, heading to his car.

---

The drive to the hospital was steady, the city humming with afternoon activity.

Damon parked in the visitor lot, stretched as he got out of the car, and made his way inside.

Joey was waiting in the hospital's lobby, slouched in a chair with his head tilted back. He looked up when Damon walked in, relief crossing his face.
Explore stories at My Virtual Library Empire

"Hey, man," Joey said, standing up to greet him. "Didn't think you'd make it."

Damon shrugged. "Figured it'd be good to come by before tomorrow. How's Jake holding up?"

Joey exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. "He's... trying. You know how it is. He's putting on a brave face, but I can tell he's nervous as hell."

Damon nodded. "Where's he at?"

"In his room. He's been mostly quiet. You wanna see him?"

"Yeah, let's go," Damon said.

---

They walked through the quiet hospital corridors, the faint hum of machinery and distant voices filling the air.

Joey led Damon into Jake's room, where the man was sitting up in bed, staring out the window.

"Jake," Joey said, stepping inside. "Look who came to see you."

Damon stepped into the room, his eyes landing on Jake for the first time.

This was their first meeting in person, and Damon couldn't help but note the striking resemblance between Jake and Joey.

Same strong jawline, same sharp eyes, there was no mistaking they were brothers.

Jake glanced over at Damon, a flicker of curiosity in his expression before he gave a small nod. "You must be Damon," he said, his voice steady but tinged with fatigue.

"Yeah, that's me," Damon replied, stepping closer and extending a hand. Jake shook it firmly, his grip surprisingly strong for someone in his condition.

Joey leaned against the wall, smiling faintly as he watched the two. "Told you he'd show up," he said, nudging Jake lightly. "Damon's good like that."

Jake chuckled softly, the sound dry. "Well, thanks for coming. You didn't have to, but I appreciate it."

Damon waved it off. "No big deal. Joey's like family, so… figured I'd come check in before tomorrow."

As the conversation began to flow between them, Damon's mind wandered to the elixir tucked away in his jacket pocket.

How was he going to get Jake to drink it? It wasn't just about the logistics, it was the fact that they weren't close.

Jake barely knew him. He'd probably think it was weird if Damon suddenly handed him something to drink, especially without a good reason.

Damon shook his head subtly, reminding himself to relax. The opportunity would come when it was right.

No need to force it.

"So," Damon said, leaning against the small table in the corner. "Joey's been telling me you've got quite the fight ahead of you tomorrow. How're you feeling about it?"

Jake shrugged, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "I've been through worse. Not gonna lie, though… kinda wish I could just get up and walk out of here already."

Joey chimed in, grinning. "Told him he'd need to start listening to the doctors for once in his life. Maybe tomorrow will knock some sense into him."

The brothers exchanged a lighthearted laugh, and Damon found himself smiling too.

As they continued talking, Damon decided to let things unfold naturally.

For now, he focused on just being there for Joey and Jake. The moment to help would present itself, he was sure of it.

Soon, a nurse stepped into the room, clipboard in hand, giving everyone a polite smile before focusing on Jake. "Alright, Mr. Jake, time for your medication," she said, placing a small tray on the counter. On it sat two bottles of pills, painkillers and anti-inflammatory meds for his shattered knees, and a tall glass of water.

Jake sighed, his shoulders slumping. "The fun part of my day," he muttered, his voice laced with sarcasm.

The nurse chuckled lightly, shaking out the appropriate doses into a small paper cup. "We're just keeping you comfortable until tomorrow. You'll thank us later."

She set the water next to the pills, then glanced at the others. "You'll have to excuse me; I've got a lot more patients to see. But don't forget to take these soon, alright?"

Jake nodded lazily. "Yeah, yeah."

As the nurse left, Damon's eyes flicked to the glass of water on the counter.

A smirk tugged at his lips, and his mind began working. This was the opportunity he'd been waiting for.