Being alone… standing so close.
Damon smiled, "Thanks," he said, looking at her.
She smiled back, her eyes sparkling. "For what? I did nothing, I just watched. You're the one who fought," she said, punching him lightly on the arm.
Damon didn't react, but it was clear his mind was elsewhere.
He stood there with a dumb smile, seemingly lost in thought. His gaze lingered on her, admiring her beauty.
She looked cute, and that smile on her face, he wanted to keep it there, to never see it fade.
Svetlana noticed the stare. "What?" she asked, her head tilting slightly, her expression curious.
"Nothing. You're just beau—" Damon started, but before he could finish, the door suddenly swung open.
They both jumped, taking a quick step back, as if caught doing something they shouldn't.
"Oh, sorry, didn't realize anyone was still in here," the staff member said, glancing between them. "We're locking up the empty rooms. Just let us know when you're heading out."
Damon quickly cleared his throat, trying to mask the awkwardness. "No, it's fine. We were just leaving anyway."
"Alright, thanks!" The staff member smiled and left, the door closing behind them.
Damon ran a hand through his hair, letting out a nervous chuckle. "Well, I guess we should... get going."
Svetlana smiled, the tension easing. "Yeah, we should."
As they left the room, the staff member waiting outside glanced up from her watch, offering a polite nod in return as Damon acknowledged her.
Damon and Svetlana walked side by side, their earlier tension easing with each step.
They began talking casually, catching up on all the moments they had missed.
The conversation flowed naturally, filling the space between them, making the walk to the lounge feel shorter than it was.
It didn't take long for them to reach the lounge. From a distance, Damon could already see his team gathered outside, talking and laughing.
Whittier stood in the middle of them, his relaxed posture and easy smile showing he had already settled in after his own intense match.
Damon's pace quickened slightly as he approached, and Svetlana followed closely behind.
As they arrived, Whittier noticed them and greeted Damon with a nod.
"Good to see you, kid," Whittier said, his tone light. "That was one hell of a performance out there."
"Haha, thanks, Coach, your match was also amazing." Damon said as Whittier laughed.
"Ahh, I lost tonight, mate. Call me Donald, I'm not your coach anymore," Whittier replied with that laid-back tone he was known for, shrugging off the defeat in his typical humble style.
Then, Whittier's eyes shifted to Svetlana, standing quietly beside Damon. With a teasing smile, he added, "Oh, and who's this behind you? You never told me you had a lady back home."
He stretched out his hand to greet her. Damon chuckled at the remark, choosing not to correct him.
It wasn't the first time people assumed he and Svetlana were a couple, and neither of them ever bothered to correct the assumption.
Maybe a part of them didn't mind it, and wanted it that way.
Svetlana shook Whittier's hand with a polite smile. "Nice to meet you," she said.
Whittier gave Damon a knowing grin. "She's a good one, mate. Take care of her, will ya?" he said with a wink, his tone still playful but with a hint of sincerity.
Damon just nodded, keeping the mood light but feeling a warmth in his chest.
Turning more serious, he asked, "So, now that the show's over, what's the next step? I'm guessing I can't just leave the building yet, right?"
Whittier nodded, "Yep, not quite yet. Just sit tight for a bit." He gestured to the chairs in the hallway. "Someone will call for you soon, probably to finalize some things."
Then, stretching out his tired muscles, Whittier added, "As for me, I'm too tired for this, so I'm heading out to get some rest. Been a long night."
He patted Damon on the shoulder. "Take care of yourself, kid. You've earned it." With that, he gave a nod to both Damon and Svetlana before heading off down the hall.
Damon nodded back and took Svetlana's hand, guiding her toward the chairs, where they both sat down.
"So, did I miss anything over the time I was gone?" Damon asked, looking at Svetlana.
She paused for a moment, thinking. "I don't think—oh, wait! There's a new guy at the gym, part of the MMA team now," she said, recalling the update.
"His name is Edward, I think."
Damon froze at the mention of the name. Edward? Could it be a coincidence? The last time Damon saw Edward was 2 years ago after their fight, where Damon had emerged victorious, back in Stockton.
"What's wrong?" Svetlana asked, noticing Damon zoning out.
Damon shook his head and smiled. "Nah, I was just thinking."
Svetlana smiled back. "What about you? Anything changed?"
Damon shook his head slightly, before offering, "How about we don't go to the club and just grab some food instead, maybe just the two of us?"
Svetlana froze for a second, speechless. "Sure, I'm fine with that," she replied, a soft smile forming.
Just as they settled into that thought, a staff member appeared. "Mr. Cross, Mr. Black would like to see you."
Damon and Svetlana stood up at the same time. "Sure, where do I go?" Damon asked.
The staff smiled, glancing at both of them. "Just follow me right this way."
Damon and Svetlana followed the staff down the hallway, walking side by side in comfortable silence.
Damon's mind wandered back to Edward, was it really him? Or just a coincidence? He pushed the thought aside for now, focusing on the moment.
The staff led them through a series of corridors until they reached a door labeled UFA Management Office.
She knocked lightly and opened it, gesturing for Damon to enter.
"Mr. Black is inside," she said, offering a polite smile before stepping back.
Damon turned to Svetlana, giving her a reassuring nod. "I'll be back soon."
She nodded back, her calm smile hiding any nerves she might have felt for him. "I'll wait here."