Victor looked at Damon with a serious expression. "Remember what I said?" he asked, his voice firm but friendly.
Damon nodded, recalling the advice Victor had given him just moments before. "Have fun," he said, his voice confident.
Victor smiled, seeming to approve of Damon's response. He stepped forward, his movements commanding attention.
He clapped his hands together, the sharp sound echoing through the training facility. "Okay, everyone, gather around!" he called out, his voice loud and clear.
The athletes stopped training, their movements ceasing as they turned to face Victor.
They all had similar reactions, their faces breaking into smiles as they saw him.
It was clear that they liked and respected Victor.
Damon watched with interest as people began to gather around, their footsteps echoing off the walls.
The room grew quieter as the athletes formed a semi-circle around Victor.
They stood with their arms crossed, their eyes fixed on him waiting to hear the announcement.
Some of them glanced at Damon, their expressions curious. Damon felt a sense of nervousness, but Victor's presence seemed to calm him down.
As the last athlete took their place, Victor began to speak. "Everyone, this is Damon," he said, his voice loud and clear. "He's our newest team member, and I want you all to make him feel welcome." The athletes nodded, their faces friendly.
Victor scanned the group, his eyes lingering on each athlete before moving on to the next.
"He'll be joining the Mixed Martial Arts team. Okay, you all can go back to your training," he announced, his voice loud and clear.
The athletes dispersed, returning to their training routines. Damon noticed that four people stayed back, their eyes fixed on him with interest.
Victor looked at Damon and nodded. "Come on, let me introduce you," he said, gesturing to the four athletes.
They looked him up and down, and Damon couldn't help but feel self-conscious. He did look like he needed to gain some weight.
Ash's expression turned sarcastic. "Why are you hurting yourself?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
Damon's nose wrinkled up in distaste. "Why do you smell like alcohol?" he shot back, his voice firm.
Ash's face instantly changed, his eyes darting to the other three athletes. "Oh shit, do you think Vic noticed... fuck," he muttered, his voice low and worried.
Ashley chuckled at her brother's expense, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Of course he did, you're probably going to have to make up for it," she teased, her voice light and playful.
Ty just shrugged, his expression neutral, while Svetlana smiled, her eyes crinkling at the corners.
The tension in the room dissipated, replaced by a feeling of friendliness.
Damon felt a sense of relief, knowing that his new teammates were friendly and willing to joke around. He smiled, feeling a sense of belonging.
Ty patted Ash on the back, pushing him forward slightly. "I told you Vic was coming back, should have stopped partying," he said, his voice teasing.
He looked at Damon and smiled. "Come on, while we wait for Vic, let's put you in for a spar, shall we?" he asked, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
Svetlana spoke up for the first time, her voice smooth and fluent. "Who's he fighting?" she asked, her eyes scanning the group.
Damon was surprised by her perfect English, given her foreign-sounding name. He had expected a thick accent, but her words were clear and crisp.
The group looked at Ash, who raised his hands in protest. "Woah, why me? I don't wanna hurt the guy," he said, clearly being sarcastic... right?.
Damon narrowed his eyes, feeling underestimated. He wanted to prove himself, show that he was more than just a skinny flyweight, otherwise they would always underestimate him.
Ashley chuckled, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Oh, come on, Ash, don't be a wimp," she teased, her voice light and playful.
Ty grinned, his eyes lighting up in excitement. "Yeah, let's see what Damon's got."