Damon arrived at the back area, and his eyes immediately spotted his friends gathered together, waiting for him.
They were very proud and excited, and it showed on their faces.
Ashley, however, was off to the side, chatting with another woman who looked like a fighter herself.
Damon wasn't surprised; Ashley was a UFA fighter, so it made sense she'd know some of the others around.
He took a deep breath, soaking in the moment. This was his time. He waved to his team. "I'll catch up with you guys in the locker room. I need to go see my family first."
They nodded and gave him space, letting Damon approach his family, the people who had been with him from the start.
Damon stood in front of his friends, still feeling the adrenaline rush from his victory.
They all looked at him, sizing him up, as if they couldn't believe what they'd just seen.
He was still in his fighting gear, but now wore a shirt that proudly declared "The Supreme Fighter."
Damon smiled, breaking the silence. "What, you guys aren't gonna say anything?"
Joey stepped forward, a grin on his face. "Hey man, can you make it happen?"
Damon raised an eyebrow. "Make what happen?"
Ash groaned, rolling his eyes. "Joey here wants to meet Donald Whittier. I thought he was gonna be chill, but no, I don't wanna hit the club with a fanboy." He shook his head dramatically.
Damon chuckled. "Still the same, Ash," he said, dapping Ash up with a smile. He turned to Joey and did the same. "I'll see what I can do, bro. I'm pretty sure it won't be a problem."
Joey beamed, then shot a playful middle finger at Ash, who only laughed in response.
Next up was Tye, who extended his massive fist. Damon bumped it, nodding. "What's up, big guy?"
Tye grinned. "Proud of you, man."
"Thanks, bro. Appreciate it."
Damon then turned to Svetlana, and instantly, the vibe shifted.
Everyone exchanged knowing looks and slowly started to distance themselves, leaving Damon and Svetlana standing there alone. Damon sighed, half-joking, "You motherfuckers…"
Svetlana smiled, a bit of a blush creeping onto her face, as the rest of the group chuckled and gave them space.
"Congratulations—" "Thank you for—"
They spoke at the same time and stopped, staring at each other awkwardly.
It was like no time had passed since they last saw each other, yet the tension between them had grown thicker.
There was nothing they needed to say to catch up.
Damon smiled, trying to break the moment. "How about you go first?"
Svetlana smiled too, but instead of speaking, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him in a hug.
Damon was caught off guard, frozen for a second.
Even the boys standing nearby went wide-eyed, and Ash couldn't help but nudge Tye with his elbow, smirking.
Ashley, who had been mid-conversation with someone else, raised an eyebrow when she noticed what was happening and grinned before turning back to her conversation, pretending not to watch.
Damon's arms hung awkwardly at his sides for a moment, unsure of what to do, but then instinct kicked in.
He slowly wrapped his arms around her back, pulling her close, returning the hug.
He could feel the warmth of her embrace and what it meant, she had missed him.
For a second, he didn't know how to process it, but the feeling settled in.
He was happy. He had missed her too, even if he hadn't realized it until that moment.
They stood like that for a moment longer, neither of them speaking, just feeling the weight of what they hadn't said over the past months.
Damon held on a little longer than he intended, making Svetlana giggle softly. "Wanna let go?"
Without thinking, Damon mumbled, "No," then quickly corrected himself, "I mean, yes... my bad."
Svetlana smiled warmly, teasing, "No problem, I enjoyed it... congratulations on your win and contract."
Damon grinned, the pride clear on his face. "Well, thank you for coming to support me. Is it just you guys?"
Svetlana glanced at the others before looking back at him. "Yeah, Mom and Dad wanted to go on a date," she said, rolling her eyes, something rare for her. "And your mother stayed at home."
Damon nodded, understanding. "Well, before we leave this place, why don't we go watch the main event?"
Svetlana didn't seem to mind, her interest piqued. "Going back to the arena?"
"No," Damon shook his head, "there are free rooms here. We can ask Ashley, I'm sure she knows the layout and can get us one. Let me tell the guys."
He motioned to the rest of the group, already plotting their next move.
Svetlana followed behind as Damon approached the group.
"Hey, guys, why don't we stay for the main event and watch the last fight?" Damon suggested.
Ash raised an eyebrow, glancing between Damon and Svetlana. "No kiss, just a hug, man?" he teased, but before Damon could respond, Joey smacked Ash on the back of his head.
Joey grinned, ignoring Ash's complaints. "Sure, why not, haha! More chances for me to meet Donald Whittier!" he said with a laugh, clearly excited.
Tyr nodded in agreement, and Ashley who had come back from her conversation, gave a thumbs up, signaling they were all on board.
Damon chuckled, "Alright, let's ask Ashley to find us a spot."
It didn't take long for them to secure a private room, as most were free.
Damon had the option of going back to the locker room, which had a big television for viewing the fight, but he wanted something quieter, somewhere he could catch up with his friends without interruptions.
Inside the room, there was a decent-sized screen, a few couches, and enough space for everyone to sit comfortably.
This was what he needed, a place to relax and talk without feeling like they were bothering anyone else by chatting over the fights.
It felt good to be at peace when everyone settled down.
After the thrill of the fight, being with his friends felt like coming home.