Joey sat down across from Damon, a warm smile on his face.
Damon had called him right after his training session the day he arrived in LA, and they had made plans to meet up. They had a lot to catch up on.
Damon looked Joey up and down, taking in his new appearance. "Talk about change, you've changed, Joey. You look... different."
Joey chuckled, His eyes creased at the corners. "Yeah, I guess you could say that. My brother's been taking care of me, and I've been studying hard. I'm planning to enroll in college next year, so I've been hitting the books."
Damon nodded, impressed. "That's great,"
Joey leaned in, his eyes sparkling with interest. "So, how have things been? Did the event go well?"
Damon's face lit up with pride. "It was amazing, Joey. I wouldn't be in LA if it hadn't. Let me tell you all about it."
Damon launched into a detailed account of his time in Stockton after Joey had left.
He told him about the fights, and soon it didn't take them long to get back in track, talking about the UFA, the recent matches, it was like they hadn't parted.
Damon's curiosity got the better of him, and he asked, "So, how's your brother doing in the UFA?" Joey's face lit up with a grin.
"Pretty good. Although he's not getting a title shot anytime soon, he's making his way up the ranks." He leaned back in his chair, looking relaxed.
Damon nodded, a mixture of admiration and envy on his face. "Man, that's good. Good for him. As long as he's getting fights..."
He trailed off, his eyes clouding over with a hint of disappointment. "I can't say the same about myself," he added, his voice tinged with a sigh.
Joey chuckled, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "You've been here for a week, and I'm pretty sure your coaches are not going to throw you into a match just after a week. It might take a long time, so just relax now and keep training." He leaned forward, his elbows on the table, his hands clasped together.
Damon sighed, knowing Joey was right. He had expected coming to LA would give him a fight righy away, but now he realized that was unrealistic.
He would have to be patient and focus on his training. The thought was both frustrating and reassuring.
Joey's eyes sparkled with excitement as he said, "Speaking of relaxing, hear me out." Damon's curiosity was piqued, and he leaned in, interested in what Joey had to say.
"Okay, look, there's this party..." Joey began, but Damon's enthusiasm quickly waned as soon as he heard the word "party".
He raised an eyebrow, his expression skeptical. Joey, however, didn't seem to notice Damon's lack of interest.
He continued, undeterred, "It's going to be epic, trust me. You'll have a blast, and who knows, you might even find a girl." Joey grinned, trying to tempt Damon into joining him.
But Damon was unmoved. He shook his head, his voice firm. "Nope, I need to stay in top-tier form, and partying is not really my thing, you know." He leaned back in his chair, his arms crossing over his chest.
Joey chuckled, his eyes never leaving Damon's face. "Come on, man, you're in LA. Enjoy it a bit. You can't just train all the time. You need to unwind, have some fun." He leaned in, his voice taking on a persuasive tone.
Damon sighed, his expression unyielding. "I know, I know. But I'm not here to party, Joey. I'm here to train, to fight, and to win. I can't afford to get distracted." He shook his head, his eyes serious.
Joey's grin faltered, and he leaned back in his chair, his eyes never leaving Damon's face.
He knew Damon was stubborn, and he wouldn't budge once he'd made up his mind.
Joey narrowed his eyes, a mischievous glint forming in their depths. "What's it gonna take to convince you?" he asked, his voice laced with amusement.
Damon shrugged, a smirk spreading across his face. He knew Joey knew he wouldn't budge, so this was just banter. "How about you try?" he suggested.
Joey eye's sparkling with persuasion. "One drink, you can drink water, right?" He raised an eyebrow, his voice filled with mock innocence.
Damon shook his head, his expression unyielding. Joey chuckled, undeterred. "No? One girl, then?"
He grinned, his eyes glinting with mischief. "No, wait, two or maybe three?" He kept throwing offers at Damon, his voice filled with teasing humor.
Damon wasn't interested in any of the parties, foursomes, or orgies Joey was offering.
He shook his head, his expression firm. "No, Joey. Just no."
Joey's grin faltered, but only for a moment.
He laughed, a deep, rich sound that filled the cafe. "Alright, alright. I get it. You're a lost cause, Damon." He shook his head.
Joey's eyes lit up with amusement as he leaned back in his chair, his expression relaxed. "I'll just have to find another way to get you to loosen up, Damon." He smiled, a sly glint in his eye.
Damon pulled his head back, raising an eyebrow in mock surprise. "Pause, that's crazy," he said, his voice laced with amusement.
Joey's eyes widened, and he realized what he had just said. His face turned bright red as he protested, "You damn fucker, you damn know I didn't mean it that way!"
Damon didn't give up on the joke. He grinned mischievously, his eyes sparkling with humor. "Maybe I should find you some girls instead," he suggested, his voice sounding innocent.
"But of course, if you still prefer... your taste, who am I to judge?" He raised an eyebrow, his expression playful.
Joey's eyes narrowed, his expression a mix of annoyance and amusement. "You're just trying to get a rise out of me, aren't you?" he asked.
Damon smirked again, taking a long sip of his drink. "It's like you're not even trying to stop, huh?"