A few days passed, and Damon was lounging in his room, enjoying the comfort of his bed.
The softness of the blanket and the warmth of the sunbeam streaming through the window had almost lulled him into a nap.
As he drifted off to sleep, Damon's body suddenly jolted, and he jumped up, looking around frantically.
He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, and cursed under his breath, "Damn dream."
He had been having one of those unsettling dreams where you feel like you're falling, and it feels so real that you wake up with a start, feeling like you're still plummeting downwards.
Damon sat up in bed, rubbing his eyes, trying to shake off the lingering fear.
Today was a quiet day, with no training scheduled, because he was leaving for the fight later.
He had been waiting for Victor to come pick him up, but for now, he just rested, trying to calm his racing heart.
Damon's mind started to wander, thinking about the upcoming fight and what it would be like to face his opponent.
He hadn't been in a real match for 2 years, that was long, he felt nervous, he was confident obviously, but was still such a long time, made it so foreign.
But his training had been useful for the past year, he had come close to defeating Kru Somchai, he knew his progress wouldn't be so fast without the system help.
His stats had increased over a year, with 365 days meant 300 coins to use, and with that, he had increased his strength, stamina, and agility.
He had chosen Agility over Speed for a reason. Since he wanted to progress his BJJ, he needed a very agile body.
Strength: D+
- Speed: E+
- Stamina: D+
- Endurance: C+
- Agility: D
Something Damon realized, although he wasn't sure about it, was that just because someone had D rank strength did not mean they could defeat an E rank.
Damon chuckled, opening the fridge to grab an apple. "But Mom, I'm not leaving yet. This is just a fight to get the spot, then I'll leave."
Aoife's expression turned serious, her eyes clouding over with concern. "I know, dear. But I still want to make sure you're well-fed before you go."
Damon took a bite of his apple, looking at his mother with a questioning gaze. "So, what do you need?"
Aoife hesitated for a moment before responding. "Oh, there's someone at the door. Can you please get it?"
Damon's curiosity was piqued. Who could be visiting at this time of day? He nodded, taking another bite of his apple before heading towards the door.
As Damon reached the door, he stretched his hand to open it, and when he did, he was met with a sight that made his heart skip a beat.
Standing before him was the stunning Svetlana, her blonde-brunette hair cascading down her shoulders like a golden waterfall.
Her piercing blue eyes locked onto his, and for a moment, they just stared at each other.
Damon's gaze drifted down, and he realized he wasn't wearing a shirt, his chest bare for Svetlana to see.
He felt a flush rise to his cheeks as he hastily apologized, "Oh, sorry, I should have dressed before opening the door."
Even though he has been probably shirtless in front of her in the gym, it felt weird when the setting was his home.
Svetlana's eyes snapped back up to his face, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. "It's fine," she said, her voice husky and confident.
Just then, Aoife's voice echoed from the kitchen, "Damon, who is it?" Damon hesitated for a moment before responding, "Well, do you want to come in and meet my mom?" He scratched his head, feeling a bit awkward.
Svetlana raised an eyebrow, "Your mom?" she questioned, her tone laced with curiosity.
Damon nodded, stepping aside to let her in. "Yeah, come in." Svetlana stood there for a moment, her eyes scanning the apartment before she smiled and entered.
As she stepped inside, Damon caught a whiff of her perfume, a subtle blend of floral and citrus that left him breathless.
He watched as she moved into the apartment, her hips swaying slightly as she walked.
Aoife's voice called out again, "Damon, who is your friend?" Damon hesitated, unsure how to introduce Svetlana.
But before he could respond, Svetlana turned to him, her eyes locked onto his, and smiled.
She was also curious on how Damon was going to introduce her.